Reactivating a Nightmare: Three Mile Island Nuclear Power Plant Roars Back to Life Amid Soaring Energy Demands
Three Mile Island Nuclear Power Plant to Resume Operations in 2028
The Three Mile Island nuclear power plant, site of the worst nuclear accident in U.S. history, is set to restart operations in 2028. The decision to resume operations is largely driven by the increasing demand for electricity to power data centers, fueled by advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and other technologies.
Constellation Energy, the largest nuclear power company in the United States, announced on September 20 that it will resume commercial operation of Unit 1 of the Three Mile Island Nuclear Power Plant in Pennsylvania in 2028. The plant will supply power to a Microsoft (MS) data center under a 20-year exclusive power supply contract.
The Three Mile Island nuclear accident in March 1979 was the worst in U.S. history. A problem with the cooling water supply system caused a meltdown in Unit 2, resulting in radiation levels inside the building rising to nearly 1,000 times normal levels. However, the unit set to restart is Unit 1, which was shut down in 2019 due to the rise of natural gas and renewable energy.
Constellation plans to invest $1.6 billion (approximately 2.1 trillion won) in the Three Mile Island power plant to restart the No. 1 reactor. This significant investment underscores the company’s commitment to meeting the growing demand for electricity and supporting the development of AI and other technologies.