Three Mile Island nuclear plant could be restored in new Constellation agreement [Video]

Constellation Energy, a Baltimore-based energy company, announced on Friday that it had signed an agreement with Microsoft to restart one of the nuclear power reactors at Three Mile Island and launch the Crane Clean Energy Center.

The Unit 1 reactor, the reactor that would be restarted, was not the reactor that had an accident in 1979, which raised fears in the United States about the safety of nuclear power.

Unit 1 “is in the process of being decommissioned by its owner, Energy Solutions,” a press release from Constellation states. “TMI Unit 1 is a fully independent facility, and it’s long-term operation was not impacted by the Unit 2 accident.”

The company adds that it will require the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to conduct safety and environmental reviews and give its final approval to restart the reactor.

Under the agreement, Microsoft will purchase the energy to help power its data …