Meta has signed its first long-term nuclear energy deal, securing two decades of clean power from an Illinois nuclear plant to help meet the surging energy demands of artificial intelligence and data center growth, the Financial Times reported Tuesday.
The agreement with Constellation Energy — operator of the largest fleet of traditional nuclear reactors in the U.S. — will see Meta purchase the full output of the Clinton Clean Energy Center starting in June 2027. The 20-year arrangement is a major step in Meta’s strategy to ensure reliable, carbon-free electricity for its expanding AI infrastructure, amid intensifying competition among Big Tech firms for energy sources that can scale with next-gen computing needs.
“This deal helps extend the life of a key clean energy facility, while directly supporting our AI ambitions,” a Meta spokesperson said.
The Clinton facility, once slated for closure in 2017 due to financial losses, had been propped up by Illinois state subsidies that expire in mid-2027. Meta’s commitment effectively picks up where the government leaves off — allowing the plant to continue operations without relying on ratepayer support. The deal will also enable Constellation to seek federal relicensing and add 30 megawatts of clean capacity.
Constellation CEO Joe Dominguez hailed the agreement, saying Meta “figured out that supporting the relicensing and expansion of existing plants is just as impactful as finding new sources of energy.”
The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the partnership is projected to preserve 1,100 high-paying local jobs and generate $13.5 million annually in tax revenue for the central Illinois region.
Meta joins rivals Amazon, Google, and Microsoft in turning to nuclear power as AI workloads drive exponential energy consumption. Just last year, Meta’s own nuclear ambitions were stalled by environmental concerns, including the discovery of a rare bee species near a proposed data center site, the Financial Times previously reported.
Now, with this agreement in place, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg appears to be doubling down on efforts to position the company as a leader in artificial intelligence — and in sustainable energy sourcing.
The move also comes on the heels of sweeping U.S. policy shifts favoring nuclear power. In May, President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at quadrupling the country’s atomic energy capacity by 2050, fast-tracking new reactors and upgrades to aging infrastructure.
Constellation, meanwhile, continues to scale. Earlier this year, it announced a nearly $27 billion deal to acquire Calpine, another major U.S. power generator, in a bid to capitalize on the AI-driven electricity surge.
Markets responded quickly to Meta’s nuclear pivot: Constellation shares rose 6% in early trading Tuesday, while Meta gained 0.1%. The news also lifted other nuclear-related stocks, including Oklo (+9%), NuScale Power (+8%), and Centrus Energy (+7.5%).
With AI accelerating energy demand far beyond past projections, Meta’s move underscores a broader tech industry reckoning: future innovation may hinge not just on compute power, but on how it’s powered.
