Google and Constellation Energy have announced a long-term collaboration to bring 890 MW of new nuclear capacity onto the grid to meet growing demand and increase grid reliability.
The 20-year power purchase agreement will enable investments in new equipment and technology at 11 Constellation-owned nuclear units in Illinois, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, increasing thermal and electrical efficiency to unlock additional reliable, firm power to serve the grid.
The agreement includes improvements such as modernised turbines, steam generators and digital control systems.
According to Constellation the agreement will drive $4.3bn (€3.8bn) of investments to upgrade systems at the 11 reactors across the largest US power grid, the companies said in a statement.
The electricity will start arriving on the grid, operated by PJM Interconnection, as soon as 2028.
Google said the agreement provides Constellation with the revenue certainty needed to invest in updates to the 11 reactors while ensuring customers do not incur additional costs stemming from the AI boom.
Constellation said the 890 MWs of incremental capacity delivered through this collaboration equals the output of several small modular reactors or a large new conventional reactor.
AI Demand Boosts Interest In Nuclear
As part of the deal, Constellation will use Google’s Gemini Enterprise software to help with tasks such as site selection, outage management and infrastructure protection.
Rising electricity demand from AI computing has renewed interest in nuclear power, which offers steady, carbon-free energy.
Last year, Google signed an agreement with NextEra Energy to restart the Duane Arnold nuclear power plant in Iowa. It signed a deal last month with Southern Company to support upgrades at the Vogtle and Hatch nuclear stations.
Constellation, the largest operator of nuclear plants in the US, has also signed power deals with Amazon and Microsoft.
“Together, Google and Constellation are setting a new standard for how the technology and energy sectors can collaborate to responsibly expand the nation’s energy supply,” Constellation said.
“By pairing commercial investments in nuclear uprates with advanced Google technologies, this agreement supports the rapid growth of artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure that directly strengthens the resilience, affordability, and sustainability of the power grid for decades to come.”
Constellation owns and operates 21 nuclear reactors across 14 sites in the US. Constellation’s nuclear power stations are Braidwood, Byron, Calvert Cliffs, Clinton, Crane, Dresden, Fitzpatrick, Ginna, LaSalle, Limerick, Nine Mile Point, Quad Cities, Salem and South Texas.
The company did not say which of its would be upgraded as part of the Google agreement.
