Senator McCormick has noted that the $1bn+ Three Mile Island restart project could be active as early as mid-2027. The senator noted these remarks as he got a look behind the scenes at the facility, home to the country’s worst commercial nuclear accident. The project has been referred as the poster child of the Trump administration’s energy agenda. A 20-year purchasing agreement with Microsoft to match the power its data centers use would see Unit 1 reopen after in closed in 2019.
The plant was closed for economic reasons. However, no fully shut-down nuclear plant has ever restarted in the country before, making it the first of its kind. “For me, this is emblematic of the rebirth of nuclear power,” McCormick noted while touring the facility. If the Trump administration can rush the project through lengthy regulatory requirements, the reactor will reopen on June 1, 2027.
Despite this, the main control center is still an artifact of the 1970s. However, many of its internal parts are brand new. Another critical nuclear energy project that is making headway is the Dow and X-energy advanced nuclear project as it receives NRC environmental clearance. The proposed project would provide both electricity and high-temperature industrial steam to Dow’s UCC Seadrift Operations. Once complete, it is expected to power the production of more than 4 billion pounds of materials per year.
Scope of Implementation on the Three Mile Island Restart Project
The Three Mile Island restart project is one that is gradually and monumentally advancing towards operation. Constellation Energy, the firm implementing the project, has commenced plans that will facilitate operations on the facility. It has already started training people to operate the reactor. Moreover, it noted that once complete, the project will create thousands of new jobs. Nuclear watchdogs are barking, though.
They have long worried that the risk of a restart is not worth the reward. Environmentalists have shared similar concerns. Constellation Energy has requested as much as 73 million gallons of water a day from the Susquehanna River once operating. “I think every one of these projects, these energy projects, has to be looked at holistically in terms of all the trade-offs, and it’s very appropriate to look at environmental concerns and make sure that they meet all the regulations,” McCormick said. He also noted that the plant is fundamental as it will “generate more power than it actually uses.”
Project Factsheet:
- Project Name: Three Mile Island Unit 1 Restart
- Location: Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, USA
- Estimated Investment Value: $1 Billion+
- Project Type: Nuclear Power Plant Restart (Existing Reactor Recommissioning)
Timeline
- 2019: Unit 1 originally shut down for economic reasons
- 2026: Restart preparations ongoing, training and regulatory work underway
- Mid-2027: Potential restart and return to operations (target window)
- June 1, 2027: Earliest projected operational date (subject to approvals)
Site & Scale
- Facility Type: Pressurized water nuclear reactor (existing plant restart)
- Reactor Unit: Three Mile Island Unit 1 (separate from the 1979 accident Unit 2)
- Power Output: Commercial-scale nuclear generation (exact output not disclosed in factsheet)
- Cooling Water Demand: Up to 73 million gallons per day from the Susquehanna River
- Workforce Impact: Thousands of jobs expected during restart and operations phase
Project Teams
- Developer / Operator: Constellation Energy
- Key Offtaker: Microsoft (20-year power purchase agreement tied to data center demand)
- Regulatory Oversight: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)
- Political Support: U.S. federal energy policy aligned with nuclear expansion agenda
Infrastructure Scope
- Reactivation of dormant nuclear generating Unit 1
- Extensive refurbishment of control systems and internal reactor components
- Training programs for reactor operators and technical staff
Strategic Objectives
- Restart a previously shut U.S. commercial nuclear plant (first-of-its-kind attempt)
- Support rising electricity demand from AI and data centers
- Strengthen U.S. nuclear energy capacity and energy security
Challenges
- Unprecedented regulatory pathway for restarting a fully shut nuclear plant
- Environmental scrutiny over large-scale water withdrawals
- Safety concerns raised by nuclear watchdog groups
Current Status
- Restart planning and workforce training underway
- Facility undergoing technical upgrades and regulatory preparation
- Constellation Energy progressing toward operational restart target
- Project considered a high-profile test case for U.S. nuclear revival strategy
