Three Mile Island to reopen as crane clean energy center in deal with microsoft

The notorious Three Mile Island nuclear plant, known for the worst nuclear accident in U.S. history, is set to reopen.

Constellation Energy announced Friday a 20-year deal that will see the plant’s Unit 1 reactor restarted, with Microsoft as its primary energy customer. The move is part of Microsoft’s broader goal to power its data centers using carbon-free energy sources.

According to Constellation Energy, the Unit 1 reactor “operated at industry-leading levels of safety and reliability for decades before being shut down for economic reasons exactly five years ago today.” With its revival, the plant is projected to be operational by 2028, pending approval from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

This deal is poised to transform the region. An economic impact study estimates the plant’s reopening will create 3,400 direct and indirect jobs, generate $16 billion for Pennsylvania’s GDP, and add more than $3 billion in state and federal taxes. Additionally, the plant will contribute 837 megawatts of carbon-free electricity, enough to power over 800,000 homes.

Although infamous for the 1979 partial meltdown, the Unit 1 reactor was not involved in the accident. The plant is undergoing significant modernization, with upgrades to its turbine, generator, cooling, control systems, and main power transformer. To mark its new era, the plant will be renamed the Crane Clean Energy Center, in honor of former Constellation CEO Chris Crane, who passed away in April.

Microsoft’s role in this ambitious restart highlights the growing corporate commitment to sustainability. The tech giant is aiming to match the power its data centers consume with clean, carbon-free energy sources. This partnership with Three Mile Island could be a pivotal step toward that goal.