Meta Platforms has sealed a 20-year deal with Constellation Energy to keep the Clinton Clean Energy Center in Illinois running, marking the tech giant’s first direct investment in nuclear power. The agreement, announced Tuesday, comes as rising energy demands from AI and data centers push Big Tech firms to seek reliable and sustainable electricity sources across the United States.
The Clinton plant, currently supported by Illinois’ zero emissions credit scheme, had faced uncertainty when the state subsidy ends in 2027. Meta’s power purchase agreement is expected to provide financial backing beyond that point to aid re-licensing and continued operations, although no specific amount was disclosed. The plant, which began operations in 1987, generates low-carbon electricity and powers around 800,000 homes.
Meta’s head of global energy, Urvi Parekh, said utilities are increasingly demanding long-term guarantees that power plants will stay online. Constellation CEO Joe Dominguez added that similar talks were already underway with other firms across the U.S., as more companies look to replicate Meta’s model to sustain aging but clean power infrastructure.
Beyond funding operations, the deal allows for a 30MW expansion of Clinton’s current 1,121MW capacity. Labour unions have welcomed the move, with Bobby Wendell of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers describing it as a path to job stability. The agreement could set a new precedent for how tech giants partner with energy providers to meet climate goals and rising data needs simultaneously.