As data centers seek more power, Constellation launches nuclear plant upgrades t

[Marlin]

As data centers seek more power, Constellation launches nuclear plant upgrades to meet rising demand

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/05/18/as-data-centers-seek-more-power-constellation-launches-nuclear-plant-upgrades-to-meet-rising-demand/

[News Wire]

Illinois electricity providers caution that increasing nuclear power alone won't be enough to solve the state's looming energy challenges.

BRACEVILLE, Ill. — Inside Illinois' largest nuclear power plant, massive turbines pull 100,000 gallons of water a minute from Braidwood Lake.

On a recent tour of the Braidwood Nuclear Generating Station, a sprawling facility the size of two football fields and anchored by dual reactors, Constellation operators and technicians worked around the clock. Every 18 months, the plant shuts down one of its nuclear reactors and brings in over a thousand specialized contractors to replace fuel and perform maintenance.

Constellation is performing maintenance and refueling operations at the Braidwood Nuclear Generating Station to increase output capacity for rising data center energy demands. While these upgrades enhance current generation, Illinois energy providers note that additional power sources remain necessary to address the state's long-term electricity requirements.

Read the full article at Chicago Tribune: https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/05/18/as-data-centers-seek-more-power-constellation-launches-nuclear-plant-upgrades-to-meet-rising-demand/