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  "description": "Plan to restart the storied Pennsylvania reactor reflects the growing convergence of Big Tech’s energy demand.",
  "path": "/three-mile-island-nuclear-plant-may-return-to-fuel-microsoft-ai-data-center/",
  "publishedAt": "2025-03-27T02:41:20.000Z",
  "site": "https://broadbandbreakfast.com",
  "tags": [
    "_at this year’s MetroConnect conference said_",
    "_begun calling on the Trump administration_",
    "_revived local residents’ concerns_",
    "_rely heavily on water for cooling_",
    "__“Data Centers, Nuclear Power and Broadband”__",
    "Data Centers, Nuclear Power and BroadbandData Centers, Nuclear Power and Broadband A one-day conference exploring AI and Broadband Infrastructure Register for Only $195 Thursday, March 27, 2025, 8:30 a.m., Clyde’s of Gallery Place, 707 7th Street NW, Washington The rapid rise of cloud computing and artificial intelligence has placed an unprecedented strain onBroadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast"
  ],
  "textContent": "WASHINGTON, March 26, 2025 – Nearly 50 years after a partial meltdown turned it into a byword for nuclear disaster, Three Mile Island appears poised for a high-tech revival — this time to power a Microsoft artificial intelligence data center.\n\nConstellation Energy is proposing $1.6 billion to restart Unit 1 of the Pennsylvania nuclear plant, which was shut down in 2019, in order to deliver 835 megawatts of carbon-free electricity directly to a Microsoft data center.\n\nThe proposal illustrates a broader shift in how AI and cloud computing were redefining where and how digital infrastructure gets built.\n\nIndustry leaders _at this year’s MetroConnect conference said_ the traditional model — building data centers near dense fiber hubs — was giving way to one where power availability drives location decisions. “Where’s the power?” has replaced “Where’s the fiber?” as the first question asked in site selection, panelists said.\n\nThat shift has also raised the stakes in Washington. As legal experts have _begun calling on the Trump administration_ to fast-track permitting for co-located data centers — facilities built adjacent to nuclear or renewable generation to reduce strain on regional grids.\n\nMeanwhile, the Three Mile Island proposal has _revived local residents’ concerns_ about environmental impact and community safety.\n\nCritics warn that both nuclear plants and data centers _rely heavily on water for cooling_, and the Susquehanna River, which already supports two other nuclear facilities, could be pushed to its limits.\n\nEarlier this month, Houston-based Talen Energy announced a $650 million deal with Amazon Web Services for a 1,200-acre property adjacent to the Susquehanna Steam Electric Station. The AWS site was expected to consume as much energy as 900,000 homes and require millions of gallons of cooling water daily.\n\nOthers have raised questions about air quality, spent fuel storage, and emergency planning — especially in surrounding communities, including Amish and Mennonite populations who may not use modern communication tools like cell phones or digital alerts.\n\nAs pressure mounts on both regulators and tech companies to adapt, _Broadband Breakfast’s_ summit,____“Data Centers, Nuclear Power and Broadband”__ on Thursday, March 27, will convene policymakers, industry leaders, and broadband advocates to tackle the exact questions now playing out at Three Mile Island.\n\nData Centers, Nuclear Power and BroadbandData Centers, Nuclear Power and Broadband A one-day conference exploring AI and Broadband Infrastructure Register for Only $195 Thursday, March 27, 2025, 8:30 a.m., Clyde’s of Gallery Place, 707 7th Street NW, Washington The rapid rise of cloud computing and artificial intelligence has placed an unprecedented strain onBroadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast\n\nThis summit will examine the role of nuclear power, the future of electric grid capacity, and the regulatory landscape shaping broadband and energy infrastructure investments in the AI era.",
  "title": "Three Mile Island Nuclear Plant May Return to Fuel Microsoft AI Data Center",
  "updatedAt": "2026-03-11T03:32:06.391Z"
}