Facebook owner Meta said Tuesday that it’s signed a 20-year agreement to buy about 1.1 gigawatts of electricity from the Clinton nuclear power plant, starting in 2027, to support its “AI ambitions.” The deal ensures the closest nuclear plant to Bloomington-Normal will remain open after being at risk for closure.
Constellation Energy President and CEO of Constellation Joe Dominguez said the company was proud to pair with Meta. He said the tech company determined that “supporting the relicensing and expansion of existing plants is just as impactful as finding new sources of energy.”
“Sometimes the most important part of our journey forward is to stop taking steps backwards,” Dominguez said.
This partnership will ensure long-term operation of the nuclear plant, add new 30 megawatts of capacity, and will help maintain 1,100 jobs, the companies said Tuesday.
“Securing clean, reliable energy is necessary to continue advancing our AI ambitions,” Urvi Parekh, head of global energy at Meta, said in a statement. “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 Clinton Clean Energy Center began operating in 1987. It’s located about 30 miles southeast of Bloomington-Normal.
The plant was first headed for closure in 2017 after years of financial losses, despite being one of the best performing nuclear plants in Illinois, according to Constellation.
State lawmakers saved the plant — at least until 2027 — with passage of the Future Energy Jobs Act and its Zero Emission Credit program. But that state program ends in mid-2027. The deal with Meta keeps the plant operating beyond that date.
The plant won’t directly power Meta’s data centers.
“The power purchase agreement [PPA] will enable the Clinton Clean Energy Center to continue to flow power onto the local grid, providing grid reliability and low-cost power to the region for decades to come,” the companies said. “Meta is purchasing the plant’s clean energy attributes as part of its commitment to match 100% of its electricity use with clean and renewable energy.”
Constellation says it’s also “evaluating strategies to extend the plant’s existing early site permit or seek a new construction permit from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to pursue development of an advanced nuclear reactor or small modular reactor [SMR]” in Clinton.
The plant directly employs over 530 people and generates enough carbon-free electricity to power over 800,000 homes.
This story will be updated.