Constellation Energy plans to increase its holdings by 2028.Three Mile Island Nuclear Power PlantIt resumed operations and signed a 20-year cooperation agreement with Microsoft to provide it with huge amounts of electricity needed for artificial intelligence computing.
In 1979, the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant suffered a core meltdown in one of its reactors due to equipment failure and human error. Although no nuclear contamination occurred at the time, it caused residents to worry about other accidents. Furthermore, with only one reactor remaining operational, the high cost of nuclear power generation made it difficult to compete with natural gas and thermal power generation. Consequently, the plant closed in 2019 due to years of losses.
This time, Constellation Energy signed a 20-year contract with Microsoft, canceling its original decision to completely decommission the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant and planning to resume operations in 2028. The electricity generated will be used entirely for Microsoft's artificial intelligence service operations.
However, the plan still needs to be approved by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. If approved, Three Mile Island will become the second nuclear power plant in the United States to restart operations, following the Palisades Nuclear Power Plant in Michigan, which aims to resume operations by the end of 2025.
The demand for AI applications has surged in recent years, and is expected to grow even faster in the coming years. This has led to a significant increase in electricity demand, prompting many AI companies and cloud platform providers to scramble to secure more electricity resources while also maintaining zero-carbon emissions. This poses a significant challenge to the future development of AI technology.
