Should the U.S. restart retired nuclear power plants to supply electricity for AI data centers?
On October 18, 2026, the U.S. Department of Energy announced $4.4 billion in loans to help restart the Palisades, Three Mile Island and Duane Arnold nuclear plants, largely to meet surging electricity demand from AI data centers.
We need the power, we don't want more fossil fuel plants, and solar/wind + batteries won't fill the gap completely. Nuclear is a clean, cost-effective, around-the-clock option. And it's much safer than it was 40 years ago thanks to advances in safety systems and operating standards. (I'm admittedly a bit biased, as my dad was a nuclear engineer.)