US to Restart Three Nuclear Plants to Power AI Data Centers
Three U.S. nuclear plants to restart by 2029, backed by federal loans and tech power deals, for AI data centers.
The U.S. Department of Energy is supporting the projects with up to $4.4 billion in federal loans, according to the report. Microsoft and Google have already signed agreements to purchase electricity from two of the facilities. TechRadar, citing The Los Angeles Times, said the combined output would be enough to power two million homes and businesses.
The restarts would likely mark the first commercial nuclear reactors to be brought back after formal decommissioning, as demand rises for reliable, low-carbon electricity. Palisades Nuclear Plant in Michigan, which closed in 2022, is the first of the three. TechRadar reported that its owner withdrew from the nuclear power business and shut the plant nine years before its license was due to expire. Electricity purchase agreements for the plant require it to return to service by March 2027, the report said.
Crane Clean Energy Center in Pennsylvania is likely targeting a 2027 online date, while Duane Arnold Energy Center in Iowa is looking for a 2029 go-live date, according to TechRadar.
Todd Allen, a nuclear engineering expert, said: “For anyone who wants zero carbon, nuclear provides that.” He added: “For the Trump administration, which really wants nuclear, this fits that story also.”
The projects align with a May 2025 executive order from Trump that calls for quadrupling U.S. nuclear generating capacity from about 100 GW in 2024 to 400 GW by 2050. The plans have drawn criticism over the safety of aging reactors, particularly amid heightened geopolitical activity and natural disasters, TechRadar reported.