LogInYes, the same Three Mile Island that went boom in 1979.
It seems that all the predictions about tech giants exhausting their cloud storage and energy resources are unfortunately coming true, with Microsoft announcing a partnership with Constellation Energy last Friday that entails reopening the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant to meet Microsoft's insatiable energy demands for the data centers that power its cloud computing and artificial intelligence.
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For those outside the U.S. and uninterested in the history of nuclear energy, this partnership may not seem particularly interesting, however, for Pennsylvania residents and those familiar with the topic, the specific nuclear power plant set to reopen might come as a surprise.
Before the more devastating and infamous disasters at Chernobyl and Fukushima, the 1979 Three Mile Island accident was the most notorious case of nuclear energy going awry. This incident involved a partial meltdown of the Unit 2 reactor, known as TMI-2, which released radioactive gases and iodine into the environment. After the disaster, the adjacent reactor, TMI-1, continued operating until 2019, when it was also shut down due to economic reasons, with plans to complete the cleanup and demolish the plant by 2052.
Apparently, the planned demolition is being postponed indefinitely, as the partnership extends plant operations until at least 2054. As part of the deal, TMI-1 will be restored by 2028 to generate power for Microsoft's data centers, with Constellation claiming that the reopening will help them "add approximately 835 megawatts of carbon-free energy to the grid, create 3,400 direct and indirect jobs, and deliver more than $3 billion in state and federal taxes".
"This agreement is a major milestone in Microsoft's efforts to help decarbonize the grid in support of our commitment to become carbon negative. Microsoft continues to collaborate with energy providers to develop carbon-free energy sources to help meet the grids' capacity and reliability needs," commented Microsoft's VP of Energy Bobby Hollis.
According to Constellation's official statement, the reopening of Three Mile Island, which will be renamed Crane Clean Energy Center, is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Pennsylvania politicians, and residents, who allegedly favor restarting the plant by more than a 2-to-1 margin.
"Pennsylvania's nuclear energy industry plays a critical role in providing safe, reliable, carbon-free electricity that helps reduce emissions and grow Pennsylvania’s economy," said PA Governor Josh Shapiro. "My Administration will continue to work to cut energy costs and ensure the reliability of our energy grid so that Pennsylvanians can have access to affordable power made right here in Pennsylvania for years to come – and the Crane Clean Energy Center will help us achieve those goals."
"I'm proud to see the launch of the Crane Clean Energy Center," U.S. Congressman Scott Perry adds. "This critical step forward will ensure Pennsylvania has sufficient baseload power to meet its needs for decades to come while producing 3,400 jobs in our community. Thank you to Constellation Energy for working to bring this economic driver back to South Central Pennsylvania."
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