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The announcement comes exactly Five years to the day that the company turned off Unit 1 reactor on TMI.
Nuclear Reactor Unit 2 on TMI infamously was shut down following the historic partial meltdown in 1979.
The 20-year power purchase agreement will includes turning back on at least the Unit 1 reactor and opening Crane Clean Energy Center on the property.
The agreement has an energy matching element, with Microsoft pledging to match the nuclear energy it uses at data centers with carbon-free energy.
Constellation Energy Corporation CEO and President Joe Dominguez released the following statement about the 20-year agreement:
“Powering industries critical to our nation’s global economic and technological competitiveness, including data centers, requires an abundance of energy that is carbon-free and reliable every hour of every day, and nuclear plants are the only energy sources that can consistently deliver on that promise,”
“Before it was prematurely shuttered due to poor economics, this plant was among the safest and most reliable nuclear plants on the grid, and we look forward to bringing it back with a new name and a renewed mission to serve as an economic engine for Pennsylvania. We are especially honored to name this new plant after our former CEO Chris Crane, who was a fierce advocate for our business, devoting his entire career to the safe, reliable operation of our nation’s nuclear fleet, and we will continue that legacy at the Crane Clean Energy Center."
Restarting the reactor will require approval by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, safety and environmental review, and permits from local and state agencies.
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