Revival of Three Mile Island Nuclear Plant to Support Microsoft’s AI Growth

The notorious Three Mile Island nuclear facility in Pennsylvania is poised to restart operations after a five-year hiatus.

This move comes as part of a strategic agreement between Constellation Energy, the plant's operator, and Microsoft, which seeks to power its rapidly expanding artificial intelligence initiatives.

Three Mile Island is historically significant for experiencing the worst nuclear incident in U.S. history in March 1979, when a malfunctioning valve led to a coolant loss and overheating in the Unit 2 reactor. While Unit 2 remains decommissioned, the nearby Unit 1 was shut down in 2019 due to financial challenges. Now, it is set to resume generating approximately 835 megawatts of electricity for the Pennsylvania energy grid.

This event marks a historic first, as it will be the initial instance of a U.S. nuclear reactor being reactivated after closure. The initiative is anticipated to generate around 3,400 jobs and inject at least $16 billion into the local economy. In a nod to this new chapter, the facility will be renamed the Crane Clean Energy Center, honoring Chris Crane, the former CEO of Constellation’s parent organization.

JAs energy demands escalate, particularly from major tech players like Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Meta, and Apple, environmental concerns are becoming increasingly pressing.