Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, has entered a 20-year agreement with Constellation Energy to purchase nuclear power from the Clinton Clean Energy Center in Illinois, the companies announced Tuesday.
Set to begin in June 2027, the contract represents Meta’s largest clean energy purchase to date; it’s designed to meet the company’s rising power demands driven by artificial intelligence and data center expansion.
Clinton Clean Energy Center will add capacity and jobs
The Clinton nuclear plant, previously slated for potential closure due to economic pressure, will now remain active well into the 2040s under this partnership.
“America’s existing nuclear fleet is vital to our nation and Meta figured out that supporting the relicensing and expansion of existing reliable, clean generation is just as impactful as finding new sources of energy,” said Joseph Dominguez, president and chief executive officer of Constellation. “This agreement will ensure the plant – recognized for its consistent strong performance – will continue operation until at least mid-century with added capacity on the horizon and the potential to explore new nuclear development on site.”
As part of the deal, the Clinton facility will add 30 megawatts through equipment upgrades and sustain 1,100 well-paying jobs. Constellation has also committed $1 million in charitable contributions to local nonprofits over five years and will continue to contribute $13.5 million annually in local taxes.
The agreement comes amid a sharp increase in Meta’s energy usage, driven by accelerated AI development. From 2019 to 2023, Meta’s electricity consumption nearly tripled.
“Securing clean, reliable energy is necessary to continue advancing our AI ambitions,” said Urvi Parekh, Meta’s head of global energy.
“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,” she added.
Big tech’s nuclear push
Meta is not alone in turning to nuclear power AI infrastructure; Microsoft, Google, and Amazon are also using nuclear energy to power their AI-driven growth. Last year, Microsoft struck a deal with Constellation Energy to restart Pennsylvania’s Three Mile Island nuclear plant, while Google is exploring small modular reactors (SMRs) with Kairos Power to develop up to 500 MW of nuclear energy.
Meanwhile, these tech giants have also backed a global pledge to triple nuclear energy capacity by 2050, citing the need for reliable, carbon-free power.
Looking to the future of nuclear
With the plant’s future secured, Constellation is exploring the possibility of adding a new reactor at the site.
“It’s a logical place for us to talk to Meta, and to others, about potentially building the next generation of assets,” Dominguez told Bloomberg. He noted that conversations with other customers are already in progress.
As demand from AI, cloud computing, and data centers increases, nuclear power is seeing renewed attention for its reliability and zero-emission benefits.
