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Google Buys 890 MW of Nuclear Capacity in New Constellation Deal

Google signed a long-term deal with Constellation Energy for 890 megawatts of nuclear capacity from existing Illinois sites — output equal to a new reactor.

By Daniel Okafor

1 min read

Updated

Google makes a fresh bet on nuclear power as the AI energy crunch intensifies
Google makes a fresh bet on nuclear power as the AI energy crunch intensifiesAI-generated

What's News

  • Google struck a long-term nuclear deal with Constellation Energy on Oct. 6 for 890 megawatts of new capacity.
  • The capacity comes through existing Constellation sites in Illinois, per a joint blog post.
  • The companies said the supply equals what a new nuclear reactor would produce.
  • CEG shares rose 3.93% on the announcement; GOOG added 1.02%.

Google has signed a long-term agreement with Constellation Energy for 890 megawatts of new nuclear capacity, a deal the companies say matches the output of a full new nuclear reactor.

The companies announced the deal on Tuesday, Oct. 6. The capacity will come through existing Constellation sites in Illinois, according to a joint blog post from the two companies.

Constellation's stock is rising sharply following the announcement. MarketWatch's referenced-symbols data showed CEG up 3.93% on the news, while Google's GOOG gained 1.02% and GOOGL added 0.86%.

Why is Google buying nuclear power?

The deal underscores that obtaining enough power remains a critical issue for major artificial-intelligence players, as MarketWatch's Emily Bary reported. Google and other AI companies are turning to nuclear energy as they try to meet the steep power requirements of their data centers.

Key terms of the arrangement, as disclosed:

  • 890 megawatts of new nuclear capacity
  • Delivered through existing Constellation sites in Illinois
  • Long-term structure, struck on Tuesday
  • Supply equivalent to what a new nuclear reactor would produce, according to the companies

What does the deal signal?

The agreement is a fresh bet on nuclear power by Google, coming as the AI energy crunch intensifies across the industry. By contracting capacity at existing Illinois sites rather than waiting for new reactor construction, Google secures reactor-scale supply on a faster timeline — a model other AI-driven power buyers are watching closely as data-center demand keeps climbing.

For Constellation, the deal adds a marquee hyperscaler counterparty to its nuclear fleet. The sharp rally in CEG shares on announcement day points to investor expectations that more such agreements could follow as AI operators compete for firm, carbon-free power.

Original: wsj.com

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Daniel Okafor

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Correspondent covering business strategy at Business Bearings.

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