Google Rekindles Nuclear Reactor Damaged by Storm

A powerful storm swept through Iowa in August 2020, causing widespread damage and becoming one of the costliest thunderstorms in US history. The derecho knocked out the cooling towers at Duane Arnold, the state's only nuclear reactor, which was already weeks away from being shut down due to a pre-arranged agreement with its main power customer. The reactor itself was fine, but the storm made it clear that paying to rebuild would not be cost-effective.

Fast forward five years and Google has signed up for 25 years of Duane Arnold's output under a power purchase agreement (PPA). This deal is worth over $9 billion and will bring back around 400 permanent jobs at the site. NextEra Energy, the owner of the plant, has already ordered new equipment, including a fresh set of cooling towers.

The nuclear regulatory process is a complex one, involving inspections, environmental reviews, and emergency-planning checks. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has been reviewing Duane Arnold's restart plans since 2025, with the most recent win coming in June when Iowa's utility regulators signed off on NextEra's certificate to build and maintain the plant.

The NRC is still working through the federal review process, with a target approval date of January 2028. If all goes according to plan, Duane Arnold will be back online by early 2029, providing power for Google's growing data centers in Iowa.