Meta signed a 20-year nuclear power deal Tuesday with Constellation Energy, saving an Illinois plant from closure while fueling the tech giant’s AI expansion.
The deal will keep the Clinton Clean Energy Center online beyond 2027, when Illinois’ ratepayer-funded support is set to expire. Meta’s agreement saves the Clinton plant from closure, marking another Big Tech foray into nuclear energy as AI data centers drive unprecedented energy demand. (RELATED: Tech Giant Secures Deal To Bring Back Reactor At Infamous Nuclear Power Plant)
“We are proud to partner with Meta because they asked that important question, and even better, they figured out that supporting the relicensing and expansion of existing plants is just as impactful as finding new sources of energy,” said Joe Dominguez, president and CEO of Constellation in a press release. “Sometimes the most important part of our journey forward is to stop taking steps backwards.”
The agreement marks Meta’s first official nuclear power deal, though the company has been pursuing clean energy partnerships as AI infrastructure drive unprecedented electricity consumption. Under the contract, Constellation will also boost Clinton’s output by 30 megawatts through plant upgrades and explore building an advanced nuclear reaction at the site.
“Securing clean, reliable energy is necessary to continue advancing our AI ambitions,” said Urvi Parekh, Meta’s head of global energy in the same press release. “We are proud to help keep the Clinton plant operating for years to come and demonstrate that this plant is an important piece to strengthening American leadership in energy.”
The deal echoes similar nuclear agreements by other tech companies, including Microsoft’s 20-year contract with Constellation to revive the Three Mile Island plant and Google’s October agreement with Kairos Power. Amazon has also invested over $500 million in small modular reactor development and purchased a data center campus powered by nuclear energy. (RELATED: Ready For Blackouts? Techies Are Buying Up One Of The Remaining Reliable Sources Of Power For Their AI Needs)
Meta’s partnership will preserve over 1,100 high-paying jobs at the nuclear facility and contribute $13.5 million annually in tax revenue, according to Constellation, with the company’s stock surging more than 7% after news of the deal broke.
Local politicians praised the partnership as a win for the community.
“Meta is investing in our future, preserving good-paying jobs, and driving economic development for decades to come,” Clinton Mayor Helen Michelassi said in the press release.
The agreement coincides with President Donald Trump’s embrace of nuclear power through last week’s executive order, which aims to quadruple U.S. nuclear energy by 2050. Neither Meta nor Constellation energy responded to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s requests for comment.
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