Three US nuclear plants that closed early are being brought back online with federal loans and long-term contracts from tech companies. The Department of Energy is lending up to $4.4 billion to restart Palisades in Michigan, Crane Clean Energy Center at Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania, and Duane Arnold in Iowa. Together they would add 2.25 GW of firm, carbon-free power, enough for about 2 million homes. Palisades is the furthest along, with fuel loading underway, but a recent equipment issue and a March 2027 service deadline show the risk. Big Tech is driving much of the demand. Google has a contract for Duane Arnold, and Microsoft has a 20-year deal for Three Mile Island. These agreements mean data centre customers, not residential ratepayers, cover the cost. Supporters say restarts are a fast, cheap way to add zero-carbon electricity. Critics, including the Union of Concerned Scientists and Heritage Foundation, question the need for taxpayer money and flag safety concerns as climate change makes extreme weather worse. The outcome depends on whether the restarts stay on schedule and within budget.
