The Duane Arnold Energy Centre is expected to start delivering power by 2029 following agreements with Google. — Bloomberg
NEW YORK: NextEra Energy Inc plans to restart a nuclear power plant in Iowa, primarily to supply Google data centres.
The Duane Arnold Energy Centre is expected to start delivering power by 2029 following agreements with Google, according to a statement Monday.
The 615-megawatt plant shut down in 2020, well before the artificial intelligence boom that’s stoked demand for new power sources.
The enormous electricity demands of data centres have shaken up the energy industry, with tech companies rushing to connect massive facilities to the power grid.
Hyperscalers prize nuclear energy for its ability to provide clean round-the-clock power.
But building new nuclear reactors takes several years.
Furthermore, reviving mothballed facilities is expected to be a faster solution, though only a handful appear viable for a return.
“The speed with which this deal appears to have come together is further evidence of strong demand for power, particularly with baseload and zero-emitting characteristics,” Sophie Karp, an analyst with KeyBanc Capital Markets, wrote in a research note.
Constellation Energy Corp is working to bring one of the reactors at Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania back into service by 2027.
Holtec International plans to restart the Palisades plant in Michigan by early next year. — Bloomberg
