Hajra Naz
Meta said on Tuesday that it will spend billions of dollars to keep a nuclear power plant running until 2047. The plant is called the Clinton Clean Energy Center. It is in central Illinois and can produce 1.1 gigawatts of power.
Starting in June 2027, Meta will buy all the “clean energy attributes” from the plant. The seller is a company called Constellation Energy.
What Meta Is Buying
Meta is not buying the electricity itself. The power will still go to local homes and businesses through the regular power grid.
This agreement won’t immediately power Meta’s data center in DeKalb, which is two hours away.
Rather, Meta is purchasing the clean energy credits’ rights. This helps the company lower its reported carbon emissions.
The deal doesn’t remove pollution from the power grid. But it helps keep clean energy running, which stops more pollution from being added in the future.
Financial Details and Strategic Importance
Neither Meta nor Constellation disclosed the exact financial terms of the agreement, but it is described as a multibillion-dollar deal. This funding will assist Constellation in renewing the Clinton plant’s operating license and will ensure that the plant has a guaranteed customer throughout the extended licensing period.
Read More: OpenAI and UAE Plan Massive Data Center Bigger Than Monaco
Why Tech Companies Want Nuclear Power
Meta isn’t the only tech company interested in nuclear energy. In the past few years, many big tech companies have started to support nuclear power. Before this, nuclear plants were struggling. They couldn’t compete with cheaper energy from wind, solar, and natural gas.
But now, things are changing. The rise of AI and cloud computing means companies need more power. Data centers use a lot of electricity and need a steady energy supply. Because of this, tech companies are putting money into nuclear power. They are investing in both new nuclear startups and old nuclear plants.
Clinton Plant’s Troubled Past and New Future
Meta and Constellation have both implied that their deal will help save the Clinton nuclear plant from shutting down, although neither company stated that a closure was imminent. The Clinton reactor was previously on the verge of closure back in 2017 due to intense competition from cheap natural gas.
At the time, Constellation announced plans to shut it down, but Illinois legislators intervened with subsidies that made continued operations financially viable.
Those state subsidies are set to expire in 2027, and Constellation says the new deal with Meta will help ensure the plant remains open beyond that point.
Was the Clinton Plant Really at Risk?
Despite the framing of the Meta agreement as a “save,” it’s worth noting that Constellation has not publicly threatened to shut down the Clinton plant since 2017. In fact, in 2022—five years after the initial threat—Constellation announced its intention to apply for an operating license extension through 2047, independent of any deal with Meta.
When asked about its plans for the Clinton plant before the Meta agreement, Constellation had not provided a clear response at the time of reporting. However, based on the company’s press release, it’s likely that Constellation would have looked to ratepayers to support the plant if a private buyer like Meta had not stepped in.
The company’s statement emphasized that
”The deal essentially replaces the ZEC [zero-emission credit] program and ensures long-term operations of the plant without ratepayer support.”
Read More: Meta Is Letting AI Make More Decisions About Your Experience — Here’s What That Means
Meta’s Expanding Interest in Nuclear Power
This agreement is just one part of Meta’s growing push into nuclear energy. Earlier this year, the company revealed that it was accepting proposals for new nuclear power plants capable of generating between 1 and 4 gigawatts of power. Meta reports that it has already received over 50 qualifying applications from more than 20 states in the United States.
Big Tech’s Broader Nuclear Strategy
With this latest agreement, Constellation has secured another major technology partner to support its nuclear fleet. Back in September, Constellation announced plans to restart a reactor at the Three Mile Island site, backed by a deal to sell all of the resulting power to Microsoft.
Now, Meta joins Microsoft in becoming a patron of nuclear energy, a move that reflects the broader trend among Big Tech firms seeking reliable, carbon-free power sources to fuel their expanding digital infrastructure.
