Microsoft has entered a 20-year agreement with Constellation Energy to restart the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania. The plant, which was decommissioned in 2019, will undergo significant investment and is expected to be operational by 2028. Unit 1 of the plant, which has a capacity of 837 megawatts, will provide carbon-free electricity to power Microsoft's energy-intensive AI operations.
This move is part of Microsoft's broader strategy to achieve climate neutrality. The Three Mile Island plant, notorious for the 1979 partial meltdown in Unit 2, will be renamed the Crane Clean Energy Center.
The project, estimated to cost $1.6 billion, promises to generate substantial economic benefits for Pennsylvania and improve the reliability of the energy grid. Governor Josh Shapiro has endorsed the project, highlighting its potential to provide affordable and sustainable electricity.
Microsoft's commitment to green energy through this partnership underscores the growing importance of nuclear power in meeting the rising demands of modern technology while addressing climate change challenges.
