NextEra Energy announced that it has secured key equipment and a partnership to restart its Duane Arnold nuclear power plant in Iowa. The company has ordered a new power generator and cooling towers, and has entered into a 25‑year power purchase agreement with Google to supply electricity for the company’s cloud and AI operations.
The Duane Arnold plant, a 615‑MW facility that was shut down in 2020 after storm damage, will be brought back online by the first quarter of 2029. NextEra is acquiring the remaining 30 % stake from Central Iowa Power Cooperative and Corn Belt Power Cooperative, bringing its ownership to 100 %.
The restart is expected to cost more than $1.6 billion and will involve a licensing change request filed with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and a waiver from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. The project is driven by the growing electricity demand of AI‑powered data centers.
In addition to the Duane Arnold restart, NextEra and Google have signed a separate agreement to explore new nuclear generation across the United States, underscoring the company’s commitment to expanding low‑carbon power.
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