LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. — Nuclear power plant Three Mile Island today announced plans to restart operations.
Constellation and Microsoft signed a 20-year power purchase agreement that will pave the way for the launch of the Crane Clean Energy Center (CCEC) and restart of Three Mile Island Unit 1. Microsoft will purchase energy from the CCEC in a bid to match the power its data centers use with carbon-free energy.
"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," said Bobby Hollis, VP of Energy for Microsoft, in a press release.
Officials noted unit 1 operated at industry-leading levels of safety and reliability for decades before being shut down for economic reasons exactly five years ago today.
“Powering industries critical to our nation’s global economic and technological competitiveness, including data centers, requires an abundance of energy that is carbon-free and reliable every hour of every day, and nuclear plants are the only energy sources that can consistently deliver on that promise,” said Joe Dominguez, president and CEO, Constellation, in a press release. “Before it was prematurely shuttered due to poor economics, this plant was among the safest and most reliable nuclear plants on the grid, and we look forward to bringing it back with a new name and a renewed mission to serve as an economic engine for Pennsylvania. We are especially honored to name this new plant after our former CEO Chris Crane, who was a fierce advocate for our business, devoting his entire career to the safe, reliable operation of our nation’s nuclear fleet, and we will continue that legacy at the Crane Clean Energy Center.”
Unit 1 was located directly next to unit 2, which shut down after a nuclear meltdown in 1979. Unit 2 is in the process of being decommissioned, officials said. This process will not affect unit 1, as it is a fully independent facility.
The companies are preparing to restart the plant by making significant investments in its turbine, generator, main power transformer and cooling and control systems. Restarting a nuclear reactor requires U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission approval following a comprehensive safety and environmental review, as well as permits from relevant state and local agencies. Constellation will also pursue a license renewal that will extend plant operations to at least 2054. The CCEC is expected to be online in 2028.
Constellation has committed $1 million to support workforce development and community needs over the next five years in an effort to help foster the "strong relationship" it had with community members over the 20 years that the plants was in operation. The company says it is committed to making community outreach, engagement and dialogue cornerstones of its restart plan.
“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 Governor Josh Shapiro in a press release. “Under the careful watch of state and federal authorities, the Crane Clean Energy Center will safely utilize existing infrastructure to sustain and expand nuclear power in the Commonwealth while creating thousands of energy jobs and strengthening Pennsylvania’s legacy as a national energy leader. 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.”
State Rep. Rob Matzie, D-Beaver, the majority chair of the House Consumer Protection, Technology and Utilities Committee and the chair of the House Nuclear Energy Caucus, also expressed his support, saying in part in a statement, "Pennsylvania is a net exporter of power generation, but our power grid is facing demands like never before in our history. Restarting Reactor 1 at Three Mile Island gives us more capacity and more flexibility to face demands - it’s not just clean power generation, it’s billions in tax revenue and thousands of good-paying jobs to boot, with even more jobs created in supporting industries."
Constellation claims public support for the restart is strong, citing a recent statewide poll that found Pennsylvanians favor restarting the plant by more than 2-1 and 70% of Commonwealth residents support nuclear energy as a source of reliable, carbon-free energy.
Not everyone is on board, however. Advocates staged a protest at the Capitol just two weeks before the reopening announcement today. They pointed to safety concerns and taxpayer expenses as just some of the reasons they oppose the facility reopening.
“This is not a pro or anti-nuclear issue to us; it is a health and safety issue," said Joyce Corradi.
“They have no workers, they have no access to water, they have no waste space, and they sold tens of millions of dollars in equipment. So, they’re going to be playing catch-up," said Eric Epstein with TMI Alert.
The pushback started almost immediately after it came to light in July that there was a chance Three Mile Island would reopen.
“Just don’t do it," said Mary Hockenberry, who evacuated during the 1979 meltdown, at the time. "You’re going to hurt too many people’s lives, so it’s not worth it.”
It is estimated the TMI restart will create more than 3,000 direct jobs and more than $3 billion in annual economic activity, according to Rep. Matzie.