Meta Strikes 20-Year Deal with Illinois Nuclear Plant to Power AI Push
Meta has inked its first nuclear energy agreement, signing a 20-year deal with Constellation Energy to help keep the Clinton Clean Energy Center in Illinois running. The move comes as tech giants scramble to secure long-term power for data centers and AI operations amid rising energy demands.
The Clinton plant, which began operating in 1987, is currently supported by a state-funded zero-emissions credit program set to expire in 2027. Meta’s agreement steps in after that, offering undisclosed financial backing to assist with relicensing and operations. The deal will also allow a modest 30-megawatt expansion to the plant’s current 1,121MW capacity.
As AI workloads surge, companies like Microsoft and Google have also turned to nuclear to keep their systems online. Microsoft plans to revive the infamous Three Mile Island reactor, while Google is banking on small modular reactors to power its data centers.
Meta says its deal could become a model for others. “Utilities want to know their clean power sources won’t be shut down,” said Urvi Parekh, Meta’s head of global energy. Constellation CEO Joe Dominguez added that similar discussions are now happening with other companies across the U.S.
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