The proposed restart of three currently shut-down U.S. nuclear power plants at Palisades in Michigan, Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania, and Duane Arnold in Iowa reflects a remarkable shift in energy policy driven by increasing electricity demand in the United States. This resurrection extends to the partially constructed V.C. Summer nuclear plant in South Carolina which may now be completed. This energy impetus is coming from the need for uninterrupted and substantial power to AI data centers and the need for clean energy as electricity demand accelerates. Palisades is being revived with federal support and private investment, aiming to bolster grid stability and support industrial energy needs. Three Mile Island’s Unit 1, shut down for economic reasons, is being considered for revival as part of Microsoft's clean energy strategy to power data centers. Meanwhile, a license change request has been filed to restart Duane Arnold, and it may evolve to incorporate small modular reactors (SMRs) to enhance regional energy resilience. In South Carolina, Governor Henry McMaster has backed efforts to restart construction on V.C. Summer, calling it the best solution to the state’s growing energy demands. The project was abandoned in 2017 after massive cost overruns and a corruption scandal, but a recent report found the unfinished reactors to be in excellent condition.
Jocelyn Livier, Della Ratta Fellow, Partnership for Global Security
