Iowa Data Center Intel

Recent Iowa data center news

• Oct 6, 2026 · Google

  Why we're backing America's existing nuclear plants

  Google has announced a new long-term energy collaboration with Constellation Energy to add 890 MW of nuclear capacity to the PJM grid and deploy Gemini Enterprise across Constellation operations.

  • The agreement covers physical and digital upgrades at six operating nuclear plants across Illinois, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey; the uprates are expected to be completed before the end of 2032 and add 890 MW of firm clean power.
  • Google says the deal is tied to its data center growth, supports roughly 4,400 existing jobs and 7,200 new construction jobs, and brings Google’s total enabled nuclear capacity to over 1.5 GW in the U.S.; it also references related nuclear efforts in Georgia, Iowa, and Tennessee.
• Oct 6, 2026

  Google nears $1 billion-plus nuclear power deal with Constellation amid AI boom

  Google is reportedly close to announcing a multi-year nuclear power deal with Constellation Energy Corp for its data centres.

  • The proposed agreement could be worth $1 billion or more and may be announced as soon as this week, according to people familiar with the private talks cited by Bloomberg.
  • The article also references Google’s prior power agreements with NextEra Energy Inc. and Southern Co., and compares the move with recent nuclear deals by Amazon and Microsoft.
  • This is a reported, not officially announced deal; the story is a news report about ongoing private negotiations and broader tech-sector demand for nuclear power.
• Oct 5, 2026

  Vistra in Line for $4.2B DOE Loan Package to Uprate Nuclear Plants in Ohio and Pennsylvania

  The Department of Energy has announced a conditional loan commitment of up to $4.2 billion for Vistra’s nuclear uprate and modernization program in Pennsylvania and Ohio, with an option to finance potential future uprates at Comanche Peak in Texas.

  • The commitment would help finance uprates and modernization at Beaver Valley (Pennsylvania), Davis-Besse and Perry (Ohio), potentially adding 433 MW of new nuclear capacity and preserving nearly 4 GW of baseload output.
  • DOE said the support is conditional on Vistra meeting technical, legal, environmental, and financial conditions before definitive financing documents are signed; the agency also said the work could extend plant operations by 20 years beyond existing licenses and construction related to Perry is anticipated to begin in October 2026.
• Oct 2, 2026

  From Opposition to Buy-In: Tactics for Data Center Developers

  The article is a commentary and recap of guidance shared at the Data Center World Power event in Dallas about community opposition to data centers and how developers should respond.

  • It highlights transparency, power planning, and community engagement as key recommendations from speakers including Diane Sullivan of Hecate Energy, Dado Slezak of QTS Data Centers, and Alise Porto of Switch.
  • It references specific examples such as a QTS project in Iowa with a utility agreement to fix and subsidize community electricity rates for five years, and notes that Grow NELA has cut permitting timelines to 15 days in Louisiana.
• Sep 23, 2026

  Climate Change Solutions - September 22, 2026

  Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) has published a climate-focused newsletter previewing an upcoming Super El Niño briefing and summarizing recent Capitol Hill activity.

  • EESI announced an online briefing on Friday, September 25 at noon EDT about Super El Niño, with welcome remarks from Reps. Mike Flood and Eric Sorensen and RSVP links provided.
  • The newsletter also notes the House and Senate action on several bills, including the Water Resources Development Act of 2026, the Ratepayer Protection Act affecting data center-related grid upgrades, and the Hydropower Licensing Transparency Act; it also promotes EESI resources and a new podcast episode.
  • This is a newsletter/update, not a standalone corporate deal announcement; it references prior and current legislative developments and upcoming events rather than announcing a new funding commitment.
• Sep 22, 2026

  Meta, Apex Clean Energy agree to 144-MW Texas solar PPA

  Apex Clean Energy and Meta have announced an expansion of their joint clean energy portfolio to 1.2 GW through a new power purchase agreement for Apex’s 144-MW Starling Solar project in Texas.

  • The Starling Solar project will be developed in Gonzales County, Texas and is expected to begin commercial operations in 2027; ERCOT’s August queue report lists an anticipated COD of Jan. 28, 2028 and says it has completed the security screening study and entered the full interconnection study phase.
  • Meta will receive exclusive rights to all environmental attributes from the project, including all renewable energy credits; Apex said the agreement structure is confidential. The companies said their combined portfolio now includes seven projects across Texas, Virginia, Illinois, Kansas and Iowa.
• Sep 8, 2026

  DOE Closes $1.9-Billion Loan to Restart Duane Arnold Nuclear Plant

  The U.S. Department of Energy has announced that it closed a loan of up to $1.9 billion to NextEra Energy to support restarting the Duane Arnold Energy Center in Iowa.

  • The 615-MW plant in Palo, Linn County shut down in August 2020 after a derecho wind event and is targeted to resume commercial operation in Q1 2029, pending U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission approval.
  • The restart is tied in part to rising electricity demand from data centers; NextEra also has a 25-year power purchase agreement with Google and has agreed to acquire CIPCO and Corn Belt Power Cooperative’s combined 30% interest in the plant.
• Sep 8, 2026

  NextEra Secures $1.9 Billion US DOE Loan For Duane Arnold Restart

  NextEra Energy has announced it finalised a DOE loan agreement of up to $1.9bn to support the restart of the Duane Arnold nuclear power station in Iowa.

  • The loan was agreed through the DOE’s Office of Energy Dominance Financing and is aimed at restarting Iowa’s only nuclear plant, the 601-MW Duane Arnold boiling water reactor in Linn County, shut down in 2020.
  • NextEra said it plans to restart the plant by Q1 2029, subject to approvals from the Iowa Utilities Commission, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and other agencies; an economic study estimated $9bn+ in benefits, 400+ permanent jobs, and $75m in tax revenue over the project life.
• Sep 1, 2026

  Alliant Energy named a Top Utility in Economic Development 

  Alliant Energy has announced that it was named a Top Utility in Economic Development by Site Selection Magazine for the eighth consecutive year.

  • Site Selection credited Alliant Energy and its partners in Iowa and Wisconsin with delivering more than $12.2 billion in new capital investment and creating more than 1,220 new jobs in 2025.
  • The company said the 2025 projects included 12 industrial wins across the 1,300-plus communities it serves, with data center and manufacturing accounting for the largest share of projects.
• Aug 26, 2026

  Wavelength Services for AI Data Centers: A Buyer’s Guide

  Aureon is highlighting its long-haul transport route and positioning wavelength services as the preferred connectivity option for AI data centers.

  • Aureon says its Iowa Falls to Chicago route already provides 100Tb of live capacity, with a 400Tb scalable ceiling and an explored path toward 800Tb using its Infinite Capacity Engine technology.
  • The article also cites industry context: long-haul dark fiber demand doubled between 2024 and 2025, and Aureon says its route supports wavelength channels up to 800G, which is still described as new territory for the industry.
  • A quoted statement from George O’Neal, President and CEO of Aureon, says: “This deployment required a high level of coordination across networks, vendors, and timelines.”