Google Teams Up with NextEra to Restart Decommissioned Nuclear Plant
New Nuclear Plant Construction Takes Years
Focus Shifts to Restarting Decommissioned Facilities
U.S. technology company Google and NextEra Energy have signed an agreement to restart a decommissioned nuclear power plant to supply electricity.
The two companies announced on the 27th (local time) that, pending regulatory approval, they plan to bring the Duane Arnold Energy Center-once Iowa's only nuclear facility, which was shut down in 2020-back online by the first quarter of 2029.
Google will receive a year-round, 24/7 supply of electricity from the 615-megawatt (MW) plant to power its cloud and artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure facilities in Iowa. NextEra Energy stated, "As the United States enters a new era of AI-driven innovation and opportunity, this strategic collaboration will help Google responsibly scale its business needs. The power purchase agreement with Google enables the investment required to restart the plant and covers the cost of energy produced at the Duane Arnold facility."
Additionally, NextEra Energy and Google announced that they have signed an agreement to explore the possibility of building new nuclear power plants in the United States. Ruth Porat, Google's Chief Investment Officer (CIO), commented, "This collaboration will serve as a best-in-class example of the investment needed to deliver stable, clean power, protect economic viability, and create jobs that will drive an AI-powered economy."
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Bloomberg and other outlets reported that, as major technology companies scramble to meet the massive electricity demands of data centers needed for AI development, they are working with energy companies to restart decommissioned facilities, since constructing new reactors can take years. Constellation Energy plans to restart one reactor at a Pennsylvania nuclear plant by 2027, while Holtec International aims to bring the Palisades nuclear plant in Michigan back online by early 2026.
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