Three Mile Island’s Nuclear Plant to Reopen, Help Power Microsoft’s AI Centers

A deal between Constellation Energy CEG 0.09%increase; green up pointing triangle and Microsoft MSFT -0.76%decrease; red down pointing triangle will restart Pennsylvania’s Three Mile Island, the site of the country’s worst nuclear power accident, to help power the tech giant’s growing artificial intelligence ambitions.

Under the agreement, Constellation would revive the plant’s undamaged reactor, which was too costly to run and closed in 2019, and sell the power to Microsoft. The plan signals the gargantuan amount of power needed for data centers for AI, along with the tech industry’s thirst for a carbon-free, round-the-clock electricity source needed to meet climate goals.