Constellation Energy and Microsoft have shared the news that they are planning to restart their Three Mile Island nuclear plant which is located in Pennsylvania. The plan to restart the energy plant stems from the increasing energy demands of expanding artificial intelligence (AI) data centres. Since the demand for AI is increasing by the day, so is that of energy. Microsoft and Constellation Energy feel that this initiative will probably pose a potential solution to the anticipated almost doubled demand for data centre power usage in the U.S. by 2030. It is expected to consume approximately 9% of the country’s electricity.
The revival plan focuses majorly on the Unit 1 reactor. This has operated safely for decades before it was shut down a couple of years back in 2019. It is estimated that the project will restart by 2029 and will cost approximately $1.6 billion. According to Industry analysts, U.S. power generation capacity could rise by 2.4% to 2.7% by the decade’s end. Hence there’s a desperate need for sustainable energy sources.
This might sound easy but reopening the plant does come with its own bunch of challenges. There are issues on the regularity front as well as some potential supply-chain disruptions that are expected. This is particularly possible in light of recent restrictions on enriched uranium following geopolitical tensions. Further, there might be local opposition to the project which might stem from historical concerns after the 1979 partial meltdown at Unit 2.
Currently, the two companies are seeking necessary approvals for the project. Let’s see when this project is finalises. However, in the future as well, we might see such collaborations between tech giants and nuclear providers as there is a critical need for reliable, climate-friendly energy sources in the digital age.
However, this island has its own interesting story. An accident occurred in 1979 on this island when a partial meltdown of reactor Unit 2 released a small amount of radioactive gas. It was the most serious accident in U.S. commercial nuclear power plant history, leading to widespread safety reforms.