US nuclear reactors in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Iowa prepare for restart

Three previously decommissioned nuclear power plants in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Iowa are being prepared for restart to meet rising electricity demands from artificial intelligence data centers. The facilities—Palisades Nuclear Plant, Crane Clean Energy Center at Three Mile Island, and Duane Arnold Energy Center—are expected to return to service between 2027 and 2029, providing a combined capacity of approximately 2.25 GW.

Federal support for these projects includes up to $4.4 billion in Department of Energy loans. In Pennsylvania, Constellation Energy is restoring Three Mile Island's Unit 1, which has a 20-year electricity purchase agreement with Microsoft. In Iowa, NextEra Energy is working with Google to restart the Duane Arnold plant by 2029, with leadership noting that the partnership ensures restart costs are not passed to residential customers.

In Michigan, the 800 MW Palisades Nuclear Plant is the most advanced in the process. While fuel loading began in August 2026, the project recently faced an investigation after a nuclear fuel assembly tilted during the loading process. These plants had originally closed due to high operating costs but are being revived as tech companies seek dedicated, large-scale power supplies.