Constellation, Meta sign 20-year deal to source entire Illinois nuclear plant’s power

Meta has pledged to support next-generation and advanced energy technologies, including geothermal and nuclear, and will buy the entire energy output of Clinton Clean Energy Center for the next two decades, the company said in a news release. Constellation is working to avoid premature closure at the single-reactor plant, its news release said.

Constellation is working to avoid premature closure of the single-reactor, 1,121-MW Clinton plant. It originally was slated to close in 2017 after years of financial losses but was saved by the state’s enactment of the Future Energy Jobs Act in 2016, which established a zero emission credit (ZEC) program to provide financial support to the plant through mid-2027.

Constellation’s agreement with Meta is a market-based solution that essentially replaces the ZEC program and ensures long-term operations of the plant without ratepayer support. The partnership also will support Constellation’s plans for a 30-MW uprate at Clinton and protect the plant’s 530 workers.

Meta said nuclear power from Clinton will support Meta’s artificial intelligence goals and data center operations in the Midwest. Additionally, the Facebook owner said it is in final discussions with nuclear providers across several states on projects that will help Meta reach the goal it set to source 1–4 gigawatts of nuclear energy. The company received more than 50 qualified submissions to the nuclear request for proposals process issued last December.

Quotable: “Last year, Constellation’s announced plan to restart the Crane Clean Energy Center [formerly named Three Mile Island Unit 1] became national news, but despite all of the interest and overwhelming support, a key question was missed: Why did we let such a valuable plant close in the first place? We all know that the closure cost our community jobs, tax revenue, more pollution and higher prices,” said Joe Dominguez, president and chief executive at Constellation.

“We are proud to partner with Meta because they asked that important question, and even better, they figured out that supporting the relicensing and expansion of existing plants is just as impactful as finding new sources of energy,” Dominguez continued. “Sometimes the most important part of our journey forward is to stop taking steps backwards.”

Urvi Parekh, head of global energy at Meta, added, “We are excited to partner with Constellation and the Clinton community to ensure the long-term operations of the nuclear plant, add new capacity, and help preserve over 1,000 jobs. Securing clean, reliable energy is necessary to continue advancing our AI ambitions. 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.”

What it means for Constellation: With the guarantee that Clinton will continue to run for another two decades, Constellation is 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 at the Clinton site.

In four executive orders issued on May 23, President Donald Trump called for major investments in new nuclear across the U.S.—especially in rapid deployment of advanced reactors.

Constellation is also pledging, as part of the deal, to increase its charitable giving in the region by $1 million starting in 2026 and spread over five years to support workforce development, social services, education, and nonprofits in the Clinton area.

What it means for Meta: In its news release, Meta stressed the importance of building out AI technologies to support the global economy as well as the importance of data center operations for that goal.

“We prioritize operating our data centers efficiently, matching our electricity with 100 percent clean and renewable energy, and exploring emergent energy technologies. As we look toward our future energy needs in advancing AI, we recognize the immense value of nuclear power in providing reliable, firm electricity, and the role nuclear projects can have in supporting local economies and strengthening America’s energy leadership,” the company said.

Meta is among several large companies (including Amazon, Dow, and Google) who signed on to support the goal of tripling global nuclear capacity by 2050 earlier this year. It was an unprecedented show of support for nuclear energy from businesses outside of the industry, according to the World Nuclear Association, and it added to support from 14 global banks advocating for equal access worldwide to finance nuclear energy projects.

The original pledge to triple nuclear by 2050 was a call to action at the COP28 global climate conference in 2023. The U.S. joined more than 20 countries in that initial effort, and support has since grown.

Local comment: Clinton’s Mayor Helen Michelassi welcomed the news, saying, “Constellation’s Clinton nuclear plant has long been an important part of our local economy, supporting a vibrant community with great jobs, excellent schools, and well-resourced fire and police departments. While many other communities are losing jobs and tax revenues, Meta is investing in our future, preserving good-paying jobs, and driving economic development for decades to come.”