Three Mile Island Nuclear Plant May Return to Fuel Microsoft AI Data Center
Plan to restart the storied Pennsylvania reactor reflects the growing convergence of Big Tech’s energy demand.
WASHINGTON, March 26, 2025 – Nearly 50 years after a partial meltdown turned it into a byword for nuclear disaster, Three Mile Island appears poised for a high-tech revival — this time to power a Microsoft artificial intelligence data center.
Constellation Energy is proposing $1.6 billion to restart Unit 1 of the Pennsylvania nuclear plant, which was shut down in 2019, in order to deliver 835 megawatts of carbon-free electricity directly to a Microsoft data center.
The proposal illustrates a broader shift in how AI and cloud computing were redefining where and how digital infrastructure gets built.
Industry leaders at this year’s MetroConnect conference said the traditional model — building data centers near dense fiber hubs — was giving way to one where power availability drives location decisions. “Where’s the power?” has replaced “Where’s the fiber?” as the first question asked in site selection, panelists said.
That shift has also raised the stakes in Washington. As legal experts have begun calling on the Trump administration to fast-track permitting for co-located data centers — facilities built adjacent to nuclear or renewable generation to reduce strain on regional grids.
Meanwhile, the Three Mile Island proposal has revived local residents’ concerns about environmental impact and community safety.
Critics warn that both nuclear plants and data centers rely heavily on water for cooling, and the Susquehanna River, which already supports two other nuclear facilities, could be pushed to its limits.
Earlier this month, Houston-based Talen Energy announced a $650 million deal with Amazon Web Services for a 1,200-acre property adjacent to the Susquehanna Steam Electric Station. The AWS site was expected to consume as much energy as 900,000 homes and require millions of gallons of cooling water daily.
Others have raised questions about air quality, spent fuel storage, and emergency planning — especially in surrounding communities, including Amish and Mennonite populations who may not use modern communication tools like cell phones or digital alerts.
As pressure mounts on both regulators and tech companies to adapt, Broadband Breakfast’s summit, “Data Centers, Nuclear Power and Broadband” on Thursday, March 27, will convene policymakers, industry leaders, and broadband advocates to tackle the exact questions now playing out at Three Mile Island.
Broadband Breakfast
This summit will examine the role of nuclear power, the future of electric grid capacity, and the regulatory landscape shaping broadband and energy infrastructure investments in the AI era.
