Google and NextEra Energy to revive Duane Arnold Energy Center

Google and NextEra Energy have partnered to restart the Duane Arnold Energy Center, Iowa’s only nuclear power plant, which was closed in 2020 after storm damage. Under a 25-year power purchase agreement, Google will buy 600 MW of nuclear power from the plant to support its AI and cloud operations in Iowa, while the Central Iowa Power Cooperative will purchase the remaining output. NextEra Energy is acquiring full ownership of the plant by buying out other stakeholders and aims to have the plant operational by early 2029, pending regulatory approval. The revival is expected to enhance grid stability, create thousands of jobs, and generate significant economic benefits, including over $2.7 billion in economic output from at least $1 billion in construction investment. The Duane Arnold Energy Center, a single-unit boiling water reactor licensed for 1,912 MWt, began operations in 1975 and was initially scheduled for decommissioning in 2020. Restarting the plant requires NextEra to obtain Nuclear