HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) -- The 2024 PA U.S. Senate debate between Senator Bob Casey (D) and Republican challenger Dave McCormick both reacted to a plan by Constellation Energy and Microsoft to reopen Three Mile Island.
"When I said I am for [an] all the above energy portfolio, I include nuclear," Casey said. "We have a strong nuclear base in Pennsylvania and I am glad to see activity there at that site."
"When we have those opportunities we should take them to have investments made in our energy infrastructure or energy resources," Sen. Casey added.
McCormick also says he supports the reopening of Three Mile Island.
"Yes, I am in favor of - as the Senator said - all forms of energy," McCormick explained. "What I am not in favor of is hundreds of billions of subsidies for clean energy projects that are driving inflation across our economy and across our country."
On September 20, Constellation Energy Corporation announced its plan to restart the Unit 1 nuclear reactor at the infamous Three Mile Island as part of a purchase agreement with Microsoft.
Constellation says the 20-year power purchase agreement will not only restart the unit 1 reactor but it will also pave the way for the launch of the Crane Clean Energy Center (CCEC).
Moving forward, Constellation will need approval to restart the Three Mile Island reactor from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The company will also need a detailed safety and environmental review and permits from state and local agencies.
According to Constellation, they are also pursuing a separate license renewal that will extend the plant’s operations to 2054 as soon as possible.
The company plans to have the CCEC online in 2028.
In addition to the restarting plans for Unit 1, Energy Solutions recently received rare permission to demolish the reactor that partially melted down back in 1979 (Unit 2). To date, the plan is to finish the Unit 2 demolition and clean up by 2052.
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