U.S. to Loan $1.9 Billion to Restart a Shuttered Nuclear Plant in Iowa
PUBLISHED Sep 9, 2026, 7:27 AM ET
The United States Department of Energy has finalized a 1.9 billion dollar federal loan to NextEra Energy to restart the shuttered Duane Arnold Energy Center in Palo, Iowa. The 615-megawatt nuclear facility has remained idle since August 2020 following severe damage to its cooling infrastructure caused by a derecho storm. The reactivation project is anchored by a 25-year power purchase agreement with Google, which requires reliable zero-carbon baseload electricity to support expanding artificial intelligence data center operations. NextEra Energy targets a full operational return by early 2029, pending rigorous regulatory evaluations and final modernization approvals from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. This federal financing initiative forms part of a broader national effort to revive dormant nuclear generation assets across the country to satisfy surging technological energy demands without increasing carbon emissions. The refurbishment initiative is projected to generate roughly 1,500 construction jobs and support over 400 permanent operational positions in the region.
By Lauren Mitchell | JQJO News
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Department of Energy announced loan finalization on September 9 2026. https://www.energy.gov/articles/doe-announces-loan-to-restart-duane-arnold-energy-center
Coverage of Story:
From Left
Federal loan helps revive storm damaged nuclear plant for tech
Washington Post New York Times Iowa Capital Dispatch San Francisco ChronicleFrom Center
US to loan 1 9 billion to restart Iowa nuclear plant
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Google backed nuclear plant restart wins federal funding boost
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