Public Comments Open: NRC Considers Restarting Former Three Mile Island Nuclear Reactor

You might care about this because the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, or NRC, is asking for your thoughts on a plan to restart a nuclear power plant. This plant is the Christopher M. Crane Clean Energy Center, known before as Three Mile Island Nuclear Station, Unit 1. It is located in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. Constellation Energy Generation, LLC, or CEG, wants to put the plant back into operation. The NRC is reviewing CEG's requests, including an exemption and three changes to its license. The NRC has created a draft environmental assessment and a draft finding of no significant impact. This means the NRC staff believes restarting the plant will not cause serious harm to the environment. The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Dominance Financing is also involved. They are thinking about providing a loan guarantee to help pay for refueling and restarting the plant. This is part of a larger effort to bring 835 megawatts of electricity to the power grid that serves Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Maryland. The public has until July 8, 2026, to submit comments on these plans. Your input helps the NRC make a final decision about whether to allow the plant to restart or require a full environmental impact study. What makes this situation particularly interesting is the potential return to service of a nuclear plant that had previously stopped operating. Three Mile Island Unit 1 officially ceased power operations and removed fuel from its reactor vessel years ago. Now, CEG wants to bring it back online. This move is supported by a 20-year agreement with Microsoft. This agreement is for providing carbon-free energy to Microsoft's data centers. This shows a growing demand for clean energy sources for large technology companies. The U.S. Department of Energy's involvement is also noteworthy. They are considering a loan guarantee under programs like the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. These programs aim to support energy infrastructure that has stopped or can increase output. The NRC's initial finding is that restarting this plant would not cause significant environmental effects. This finding contrasts with the possibility that not restarting it could have environmental impacts. It highlights the complex decisions involved in energy policy and the environment. This case could set a precedent for other idled energy facilities. Many different groups of people would find this legal document and the proposed actions quite relevant. If you live near Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, or anywhere along the Susquehanna River, you might be directly affected. Environmental advocates and organizations will likely be very interested in the NRC's environmental assessment. People who work in the nuclear energy industry, or those who study energy policy and sustainable power, should also pay close attention. Businesses that need large amounts of carbon-free electricity, like data center operators, will find the Microsoft agreement interesting. Anyone concerned about the future of nuclear power in the United States or how older facilities can be repurposed will also want to know more. This includes investors in energy projects and those following the impact of federal legislation like the Inflation Reduction Act. Finally, local and state government officials in Pennsylvania will find this important. They need to understand the potential economic and environmental impacts on their communities.