A newly announced 20-year power purchase agreement between Meta and Constellation for energy from the Clinton Clean Energy Center is drawing praise from State Senator Sue Rezin (R-Morris), who says the deal highlights why Illinois must lift its remaining ban on building new, large-scale nuclear reactors.
“This long-term agreement between Constellation and Meta is proof of what we’ve been saying all along. There is a strong and growing demand for reliable, carbon-free nuclear energy in Illinois,” said Senator Rezin “These types of market-based partnerships can help support existing facilities and even fund next-generation reactors, but we can’t fully meet that demand or prepare for the future while Illinois still clings to a decades-old ban on new nuclear construction.”
The agreement secures the continued operation and expansion of the Clinton nuclear plant beyond 2027, when state subsidies under the Zero Emission Credit (ZEC) program are set to expire. Meta’s investment ensures the plant remains online for another 20 years, preserving more than 1,000 high-paying jobs and supporting local tax revenues, while adding capacity through a planned 30-megawatt uprate.
Senator Rezin, a longtime advocate for nuclear energy, led the successful bipartisan effort in 2023 to lift Illinois’ ban on small modular reactors (SMRs). She is now pushing to lift the state’s broader moratorium on new large-scale nuclear construction, which has been in place since 1987.
“With companies like Meta seeking stable, around-the-clock energy to power everything from data centers to AI operations, Illinois has a unique opportunity to lead the next chapter of nuclear innovation,” continued Senator Rezin. “If Illinois doesn’t modernize its laws and lift the moratorium on large-scale reactors, we risk losing private investment and future energy leadership to other states.”
The Clinton–Meta agreement also includes a provision for exploring the development of an advanced nuclear reactor or SMR at the Clinton site, made possible by the policies championed by Senator Rezin. Still, she says Illinois must pass legislation to fully end the nuclear moratorium and help secure future nuclear projects within the state.