Joe Dominguez Plans to Resurrect Three Mile Island Nuclear Plant
- Constellation Energy and Microsoft signed an agreement to restart the Three Mile Island nuclear plant.
- Joe Dominguez conceived the idea for the restart after concerns about energy needs for AI technology arose in May 2023.
- The plant aims to provide reliable and carbon-free power by 2028, with plans to operate until at least 2054.
In September 2023, Constellation Energy and Microsoft entered a power purchase agreement to restart the Three Mile Island nuclear plant in Pennsylvania, which is infamous for the worst nuclear accident in U.S. history in 1979. The motivations behind the plan emerged when tech CEOs sought energy solutions to support the increasing demands of artificial intelligence infrastructure. Joe Dominguez, the CEO of Constellation Energy, recognized that AI models would require substantial power and began exploring options for energy supply. With the support of Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, who rigorously questioned the feasibility and safety of the restart, Dominguez began to seek corporate clients for the plant’s energy. The agreement aims for the plant to deliver energy by 2028, and Constellation plans to secure license renewals for ongoing operations until at least 2054.