Trump DOE loans $5B to nuclear plants that will power data centers
Constellation Energy will get $5 billion in government loans to modernize nuclear reactors. Most of the new capacity is already committed to Google, Amazon, and Meta.
The U.S. Department of Energy has committed $5 billion in loans to Constellation Energy, enabling the company to expand nuclear power generation at eight facilities. Combined, these plants will generate an additional 1.1 gigawatts of electricity. Seven of these plants have already secured power contracts with major tech companies, including Google, Meta, and Amazon.
Constellation plans to use the funds to "uprate" 11 existing reactors, a process that involves increasing capacity by using more highly enriched uranium and upgrading equipment. The company has already allocated over $7 billion for the project, which could save funding costs. The eight power plants are located in Illinois, Maryland, and Pennsylvania.
Google, Meta, and Amazon have each committed to purchasing power from specific plants. While the DOE highlighted the loan as supporting affordable, reliable energy for homes and businesses, Constellation did not confirm whether the new nuclear capacity would lower electricity rates.
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