Three Mile Island Restart Moves Closer With Transformer Delivery
The planned restart of Three Mile Island has taken another step forward with the arrival of a 500,000-pound transformer at the Crane Clean Energy Center in Pennsylvania.
The $9.88 million transformer traveled from South Korea by ship and rail before being delivered to the site by a specialized heavy-haul vehicle. It is the first of three transformers planned for the facility.
The equipment will connect the plant's generator to the regional power grid, allowing electricity to be transmitted more efficiently.
Constellation Energy is working to restart Unit 1, which stopped generating electricity in 2019. The company is targeting a summer 2028 restart but says the project is progressing ahead of schedule and could potentially begin supplying electricity in 2027.
The restart is linked to a 2024 agreement with Microsoft to provide electricity for its data center operations. The project is also expected to support at least 650 permanent jobs.
The proposed restart has attracted both support and concerns during public hearings. If completed, Three Mile Island would become only the second commercial nuclear plant in the United States to return to service after being shut down.
The transformer delivery marks a significant piece of infrastructure now in place as work continues toward the planned restart.
Source: penncapital-star.com
