NRC Facilitates Restart of Closed U.S. Nuclear Plants

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is facilitating the restart of permanently closed nuclear power plants to increase energy output for data centers and strengthen national energy security. In July 2024, the agency approved the transfer of operating authority for the Palisades Nuclear Plant in Michigan from Holtec Decommissioning International LLC to Palisades Energy LLC, marking the first time a commercial reactor in the United States has been approved for resumption.

This effort is supported by a loan guarantee of up to $1.52 billion from the U.S. Department of Energy, aligned with Executive Order 14302. The agency is also reviewing a proposal by Constellation Energy Corp to restart the Christopher M. Crane Clean Energy Center, formerly known as Three Mile Island Unit 1.

Constellation Energy Corp has signed a 20-year agreement with Microsoft to provide carbon-free energy from the Crane Clean Energy Center to power its data centers. The company expects the regulatory reviews for this project to be completed by the end of 2027.