Catenaa, Sunday, November 02, 2025-NextEra Energy and Google announced plans to restart the Duane Arnold Energy Center near Cedar Rapids, Iowa, which has been inactive since 2020, in response to growing electricity demand from artificial intelligence data centers.
The plant, with a 615-megawatt capacity, is scheduled to resume operations in early 2029 under a 25-year power purchase agreement with Google.
The agreement reflects renewed interest in US nuclear energy as tech giants seek consistent, carbon-free power for large-scale cloud computing and AI workloads.
Google, along with Microsoft, Amazon, and other hyperscalers, has pursued similar arrangements with advanced nuclear projects, including small modular reactors and fusion initiatives.
NextEra will acquire full ownership of the Duane Arnold plant by purchasing the 30% stake held by Central Iowa Power Cooperative and Corn Belt Power Cooperative.
The companies also plan to collaborate on next-generation nuclear technologies, aiming to modernize and expand the capabilities of U.S. nuclear infrastructure.
The Duane Arnold facility, Iowa’s only nuclear plant, operated for 45 years before closing in 2020.
While several nuclear restarts are underway nationally, no previously mothballed plant has resumed operations. Executives emphasized the project’s broader significance for energy reliability, job creation, and supporting the AI-driven economy.
NextEra shares rose more than 1% following the announcement, reflecting investor optimism about the growing partnership between energy utilities and technology companies seeking secure, large-scale electricity sources.
NextEra Energy and Google plan to restart Iowa’s Duane Arnold nuclear plant by 2029, supplying carbon-free power for AI data centers and exploring next-generation nuclear technologies.
