Google signs 20-year deal to upgrade six nuclear power sites

Google has signed a 20-year agreement with Constellation to modernize six nuclear power plant sites in the United States, as it seeks more electricity for its data centers. The deal is intended to guarantee revenue for efficiency upgrades at existing plants and represents more than $4.3 billion in new investment by Constellation, according to the companies’ announcement.

Over the next five years, equipment upgrades at the six sites are expected to add 890 megawatts of nuclear capacity. Google and Constellation say that is roughly equivalent to the output of one large new nuclear reactor or three small modular reactors. Their plans cover 11 reactors in Illinois, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. All six sites connect to the PJM Interconnection grid, which serves 13 states and the District of Columbia.

The agreement comes amid rising electricity demand from AI data centers. PJM has faced concerns about its ability to serve that growth, while electricity prices in New Jersey have climbed 54 percent over five years. Separately, Google signed a 15-year energy supply agreement covering other existing Constellation power plants in PJM, regardless of fuel type. That deal covers 2,700 megawatts—more than the nuclear agreement’s added capacity. Google’s latest sustainability report says its carbon emissions rose 18 percent last year as electricity demand increased 37 percent.