Google is going nuclear... again. The tech giant has joined forces with energy company NextEra Energy Inc (NYSE:NEE) to restart Iowa’s long-dormant Duane Arnold Energy Center, betting that nuclear power can fuel its fast-growing artificial intelligence operations while cutting emissions.
The 615-megawatt plant, closed since 2020, could return to service by early 2029, pending regulatory approval.
Once running, it will supply Alphabet Inc's (NASDAQ:GOOG) Google with round-the-clock carbon-free electricity for its expanding network of data centres in Iowa.
Any excess power will be sold to Central Iowa Power Cooperative, the state’s largest energy provider.
The move signals a sharp turnaround for a facility once deemed too costly to compete with cheap natural gas and renewables. But as data centres drive record US electricity demand, nuclear power’s steady output is regaining appeal.
Federal figures show consumption hit an all-time high in 2024, and tech companies are scrambling to secure reliable, low-carbon energy sources.
Ruth Porat, Alphabet’s president, described the partnership as a “model for building capacity to power the AI-driven economy.” Similar efforts are underway across the sector: Microsoft has teamed up with Constellation Energy, while Oracle plans to use small modular reactors for a new data centre.
Google’s latest Iowa investment, adding to more than $6.8 billion already spent in the state, has drawn praise from local lawmakers, who said restarting Duane Arnold would strengthen grid reliability and create high-quality jobs.