
Google/Alphabet has entered into a substantial power purchase agreement with Constellation Energy to obtain 3,590 megawatts of electricity from the PJM Interconnection, a major US power grid serving 67 million people across 13 states and Washington, D.C. Approximately 890 megawatts of this supply will come from new nuclear energy generation.
The agreement involves capacity additions at multiple Constellation nuclear reactors located in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions, specifically affecting 11 nuclear units across Illinois, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. As part of the 20-year power purchase agreement, Constellation plans to invest more than $4.3 billion in new equipment and technology to enhance thermal and electrical efficiency. Power from the first upgraded facility is expected to begin delivery in 2028.
The agreement reflects broader industry trends driven by artificial intelligence and data center expansion, which have dramatically increased electricity demand among technology companies. Data center power consumption is projected to double globally by 2030, potentially accounting for up to 12% of total US electricity consumption by that year. PJM’s grid has experienced a substantial power shortfall, with capacity prices increasing more than elevenfold since 2024, prompting grid management to propose requiring major data center customers to provide their own power or face potential service interruption during peak demand periods.
The Google-Constellation deal is one of several major nuclear power agreements announced recently by prominent technology companies. Constellation recently reached separate 20-year agreements with Amazon for 690 megawatts from its Calvert Cliffs plant in Maryland and with Meta for 1,121 megawatts through a virtual power purchase agreement. Microsoft has arranged to restart the Three Mile Island reactor in Pennsylvania through Constellation, while Google has also contracted with NextEra Energy to restart a nuclear facility in Iowa. Nuclear power provides continuous base-load electricity, distinguishing it from renewable sources that depend on weather conditions.
Article Attribution | Read More at Article Source
Article summary produced by Claude AI