Hua Er Jie Jian Wen·2025-10-28 06:48Core Insights - The demand for clean energy from tech giants is driving a resurgence in U.S. nuclear power plants, with Google partnering with NextEra to restart the Duane Arnold Energy Center in Iowa, which has been closed for five years [1] - The project is expected to cost over $1.6 billion and aims to begin operations in 2029, highlighting a trend of reviving old nuclear facilities rather than building new ones [1][2] - The collaboration is seen as a model for investing in energy capacity while maintaining affordable electricity prices and creating jobs [1] Group 1 - Google has signed a 25-year power purchase agreement with NextEra for the Duane Arnold Energy Center, which has a capacity of 615 megawatts [1] - The Duane Arnold plant will be the third U.S. nuclear facility to restart after being shut down, following the Palisades and Three Mile Island plants [1] - The dual pressures of explosive electricity demand from AI infrastructure and carbon neutrality goals are driving the revival of these nuclear plants [2] Group 2 - Market analysis suggests that restarting idle nuclear plants is more cost-effective and quicker than building new facilities from scratch [2] - Critics caution that efforts to restart decommissioned nuclear plants must adhere to strict regulatory standards, emphasizing the need for careful consideration [2] - Concerns have been raised about the safety of the Duane Arnold plant, which has a design similar to the Fukushima reactors and suffered significant damage during a storm in 2020 [2]