Constellation Signs 20-Year PPA with Meta

Constellation Energy Corporation said it has signed a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with Meta for the output of the Clinton Clean Energy Center in Illinois to support Meta’s clean energy goals and operations in the region with 1,121 megawatts (MW) of emissions-free nuclear energy.

Beginning in June 2027, the agreement supports the relicensing and continued operations of Constellation’s Clinton nuclear facility for another two decades after the state’s ratepayer funded zero emission credit (ZEC) program expires, the company said in a news release.

The agreement with Meta will allow Constellation to add more energy to the grid in the Midcontinent Independent System Operator’s (MISO) zone four territory, covering central and southern Illinois, according to the release.

The deal will expand Clinton’s clean energy output by 30 MW through plant uprates, Constellation said. With the guarantee that Clinton will continue to run for another two decades, the company said it is evaluating strategies to extend the plant’s existing early site permit or seek a new construction permit from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to pursue development of an advanced nuclear reactor or small modular reactor (SMR) at the Clinton Clean Energy Center site.

The Clinton Clean Energy Center was slated for premature closure in 2017 after years of financial losses, despite being one of the best performing nuclear plants in Illinois. Clinton’s retirement was prevented by the enactment of the Future Energy Jobs Act, which established a Zero Emission Credit program that provides financial support to the plant through mid-2027, according to the release.

Constellation stated that its agreement with Meta is a market-based solution that essentially replaces the ZEC program and ensures long-term operations of the plant without ratepayer support. The PPA will enable the Clinton Clean Energy Center to continue to flow power onto the local grid, providing grid reliability and low-cost power to the region for decades to come. Meta is purchasing the plant’s clean energy attributes as part of its commitment to match 100 percent of its electricity use with clean and renewable energy, the energy firm said.

“Last year, Constellation’s announced plan to restart the Crane Clean Energy Center became national news, but despite all of the interest and overwhelming support, a key question was missed: why did we let such a valuable plant close in the first place? We all know that the closure cost our community jobs, tax revenue, more pollution and higher prices,” Constellation President and CEO Joe Dominguez said.

“We are proud to partner with Meta because they asked that important question, and even better, they figured out that supporting the relicensing and expansion of existing plants is just as impactful as finding new sources of energy. Sometimes the most important part of our journey forward is to stop taking steps backwards,” Dominguez added.

“We are excited to partner with Constellation and the Clinton community to ensure the long-term operations of the nuclear plant, add new capacity, and help preserve over 1,000 jobs. Securing clean, reliable energy is necessary to continue advancing our AI ambitions,” Urvi Parekh, Head of Global Energy at Meta, said.

“We are proud to help keep the Clinton plant operating for years to come and demonstrate that this plant is an important piece to strengthening American leadership in energy,” Parekh said.

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