Microsoft recently announced an agreement with Constellation Energy to be able to Reopen Three Mile Island Nuclear Power Plantin Pennsylvania, famous for being the seat of the worst nuclear accident in the USwhich occurred on March 28, 1979, due to the partial meltdown of a reactor core. The aim of the agreement signed by the Redmond giant is to meet its growing energy needs due to activities related to artificial intelligence. This move, unprecedented in the United States, represents a crucial step to meet the energy needs of emerging technologies such as AI and cloud computing, whose energy consumption is constantly increasing even for Microsoft, which recently integrated the AI assistant Copilot into its operating system. Under the agreement between Microsoft and Constellation Energy, the Redmond company will purchase energy from the restarted plant for a period of 20 years. Three Mile Island Unit 1 will be able to provide 835 megawatts of electricitythe equivalent energy to power about 700,000 homes. Three Mile Island Unit 1 is expected to be restarted by 2028 at a cost of approximately $1.6 billion. This will happen provided that the clearance is received from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
The Three Mile Island Incident and the Details of the Agreement
THE’Three Mile Island Plant It is sadly known for having been the theatre of the worst nuclear accident in American historywhich occurred at 4 am on March 28, 1979when the reactor unit 2 suffered a partial core meltdown due to technical and human errors, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission determined.unit 1which was not directly involved in the accident, was permanently closed in 2019 for economic reasons. Now, following the agreement reached with Microsoft, Constellation Energy to invest $1.6 billion to bring unit 1 back into operation, with a relaunch expected by 2028. This agreement marks not only the reopening of a decommissioned nuclear power plant, but also the first time that an entire nuclear production will be dedicated exclusively to one customer.
The reopening of Three Mile Island’s Unit 1 illustrates the tech giants’ “energy hunger” to power their data centers, which are increasingly energy-hungry due to the development of AI-related technologies. Nuclear, which is nearly carbon-free, offers a stable and sustainable solution compared to renewables like wind or solar, which are more “intermittent.” This explains why tech companies are increasingly embracing nuclear: to have a steady stream of energy while also meeting their commitments to reducing carbon emissions.
Three Mile Island Today and the Challenges to Overcome
Despite the enthusiasm for this project, there are still several Regulatory challenges to overcome. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the body that oversees nuclear safety in the United States, has never approved the reopening of a previously decommissioned nuclear power plant. For this reason, Constellation Energy will face a rigorous review process to demonstrate the safety of the system before it can be put back into operation. It is expected that This process will be completed by 2027.
In this regard, Scott Burnellspokesman for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, said:
It is up to Constellation to present the rationale for the reboot, so we look forward to working with them on next steps.
