Nuclear Energy Revival
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Google to buy power from NextEra nuclear plant being revived
TechXploreยท 2025-10-28 13:10
Core Insights - NextEra Energy Inc. plans to restart the Duane Arnold Energy Center nuclear power plant in Iowa to supply electricity to Google data centers, with power delivery expected to begin by 2029 [2][5] - The plant, which has a capacity of 615 megawatts, was shut down in 2020, prior to the surge in demand for electricity driven by the AI boom [2][3] - The revival of mothballed nuclear facilities is seen as a quicker solution to meet the increasing electricity demands of data centers, particularly for clean and reliable power sources [3] Company Developments - NextEra has entered into a 25-year agreement to sell electricity from the Duane Arnold plant to Google and is also buying out the plant's minority owners [5] - The company is exploring further nuclear generation development in collaboration with Google, having already completed nearly three gigawatts of energy projects with them across the U.S. [6] - Following the announcement, NextEra's stock gained as much as 3.5% in after-hours trading [6] Industry Trends - The energy industry is experiencing significant changes due to the high electricity demands from tech companies, particularly hyperscalers, who favor nuclear energy for its clean and consistent power supply [2][3] - Other companies, such as Constellation Energy Corp. and Holtec International, are also working on reviving nuclear reactors to meet energy demands, indicating a broader trend towards utilizing existing nuclear infrastructure [4]