Google: Palo Duane Arnold Campus

Google has signed a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with NextEra Energy to fund the restart of Iowa's 615 MW Duane Arnold Energy Center (DAEC) nuclear plant, which was decommissioned in 2020 after its cooling towers were damaged and repairs deemed uneconomical. The plant, operational since 1975, is expected to resume by 2029 (potentially as early as Q1 2028 per FERC filings), with NextEra acquiring full ownership and gaining grid reconnection approval in September 2025.

This carbon-free power will primarily support Google's proposed development of up to six AI data centers in unincorporated areas of Linn County near the site. The company is also funding a local water usage study to assess the project's environmental impact, joining other tech giants in leveraging nuclear energy for round-the-clock AI and cloud infrastructure demands.