This federal financing supports an earlier agreement with Google to revive the facility, which was originally shuttered after sustaining storm damage and facing competition from low natural gas prices.
Once operational, the plant is expected to provide a consistent source of carbon-free electricity to support the massive energy requirements of the technology sector.
This project highlights a significant shift in AI infrastructure strategy, as tech companies turn to retired nuclear reactors to meet the surging power demands of data centers.
According to the Department of Energy, the restart is intended to stabilize electricity costs as the industry faces a projected tripling of sector-wide energy demand by 2035.
The move places Google alongside competitors like Microsoft and Meta, who have also secured long-term power agreements with nuclear providers to ensure their artificial intelligence operations have access to "firm power"—electricity available around the clock regardless of weather conditions.
NextEra Energy plans to bring the reactor back online by 2029 with an increased total capacity of 615 megawatts.
While the vast majority of this output is intended for Google’s planned data center expansion in the region, 50 megawatts will be reserved for a local power cooperative to help manage regional demand growth.
The refurbishment process involves upgrading the facility to extract more power than its original configuration, making it one of several shuttered American nuclear sites being fast-tracked for return to the national power grid.