Jeff Brumfield

Yeah, that's right. I was on a press tour with a handful of other reporters, and our guide was Brian Hansen, the chief generation officer for the Utility Constellation, which owns the plant. And Brian has a very close personal connection to TMI because in 2019, he was the guy who had to close it down.

Yeah, that's right. I was on a press tour with a handful of other reporters, and our guide was Brian Hansen, the chief generation officer for the Utility Constellation, which owns the plant. And Brian has a very close personal connection to TMI because in 2019, he was the guy who had to close it down.

Yeah, that's right. I was on a press tour with a handful of other reporters, and our guide was Brian Hansen, the chief generation officer for the Utility Constellation, which owns the plant. And Brian has a very close personal connection to TMI because in 2019, he was the guy who had to close it down.

It had become uneconomical to operate. Basically, nuclear energy is more expensive than natural gas and renewables in today's electricity market. And Three Mile Island became a casualty of that reality. So they actually had one of the operators who'd restarted the plant after the 1979 accident turn the reactor off. And then they just put the whole thing in mothballs.

It had become uneconomical to operate. Basically, nuclear energy is more expensive than natural gas and renewables in today's electricity market. And Three Mile Island became a casualty of that reality. So they actually had one of the operators who'd restarted the plant after the 1979 accident turn the reactor off. And then they just put the whole thing in mothballs.

It had become uneconomical to operate. Basically, nuclear energy is more expensive than natural gas and renewables in today's electricity market. And Three Mile Island became a casualty of that reality. So they actually had one of the operators who'd restarted the plant after the 1979 accident turn the reactor off. And then they just put the whole thing in mothballs.

Yeah, right. Well, I mean, what's going on is in September, Microsoft came along and signed one of those power purchase agreements I was talking about, specifically for Three Mile Island. And all of a sudden, they were back in business. They're now working with regulators to restart the plant. They're trying to hire more people.

Yeah, right. Well, I mean, what's going on is in September, Microsoft came along and signed one of those power purchase agreements I was talking about, specifically for Three Mile Island. And all of a sudden, they were back in business. They're now working with regulators to restart the plant. They're trying to hire more people.

Yeah, right. Well, I mean, what's going on is in September, Microsoft came along and signed one of those power purchase agreements I was talking about, specifically for Three Mile Island. And all of a sudden, they were back in business. They're now working with regulators to restart the plant. They're trying to hire more people.

And Constellation's given it a new name, the Crane Clean Energy Center.

And Constellation's given it a new name, the Crane Clean Energy Center.

And Constellation's given it a new name, the Crane Clean Energy Center.

This is where the electricity was generated for decades using steam from the plant's nuclear reactor. And in a few years, Brian says it's going to start again.

This is where the electricity was generated for decades using steam from the plant's nuclear reactor. And in a few years, Brian says it's going to start again.

This is where the electricity was generated for decades using steam from the plant's nuclear reactor. And in a few years, Brian says it's going to start again.

Now, restarting this plant isn't cheap. Constellation projects it's going to cost around $1.6 billion with a B. But they're willing to make the investment thanks to Microsoft.

Now, restarting this plant isn't cheap. Constellation projects it's going to cost around $1.6 billion with a B. But they're willing to make the investment thanks to Microsoft.

Now, restarting this plant isn't cheap. Constellation projects it's going to cost around $1.6 billion with a B. But they're willing to make the investment thanks to Microsoft.

No. In fact, TMI puts out around 800 megawatts of electricity. And that all by itself is around the power consumption of what a single AI data center might eat. So these companies are going to need even more. Yeah. It's just the amount of power is really staggering here. And that's why Google, Meta, Amazon are all making investments towards new kinds of nuclear reactors.

No. In fact, TMI puts out around 800 megawatts of electricity. And that all by itself is around the power consumption of what a single AI data center might eat. So these companies are going to need even more. Yeah. It's just the amount of power is really staggering here. And that's why Google, Meta, Amazon are all making investments towards new kinds of nuclear reactors.