Illinois just landed the biggest nuclear power deal in Meta’s history and it might signal the start of a new era in our state’s energy future.

The deal is a 20-year agreement with Constellation Energy to buy the full output of the Clinton Clean Energy Center beginning in 2027. That’s 1.12GW of baseload nuclear power, enough to power a million homes. It also guarantees the plant stays open even after its state subsidy expires.

Deals like this put Illinois in the position to do something we haven’t done in decades: build a new nuclear reactor.

The AI future won’t happen without nuclear.

Between 2019 and 2023, Meta’s electricity use nearly tripled. AI demands round-the-clock, high-density power that wind and solar can’t always deliver. Nuclear can, and Illinois is uniquely positioned to provide it.

Illinois leads the nation in nuclear capacity and already generates more clean power than any other state. Long-term agreements like this one make Illinois even more attractive for data-heavy infrastructure.

And Meta isn’t alone. With the Clinton deal finalized, Constellation is already talking to other buyers.

Not long ago, Clinton was on the brink of shutdown. Exelon, who was the former operator, said it couldn’t compete with cheap natural gas. In 2017, state subsidies saved the plant.

Now it’s being courted by one of the world’s largest tech companies. Clinton also holds a rare advantage which is a license for a second reactor. In an industry where permits can take a decade, this is a meaningful head start.

Meta’s deal in Illinois is a signal. Tech companies are no longer waiting for clean energy to show up. They’re going out and securing it. That gives utilities and developers the confidence to invest in more generation.

But there’s a risk. Without building new capacity, hyperscaler demand could squeeze the grid and drive up prices for Illinoisans.

Companies like Meta, Microsoft, and Amazon can afford to pay premium rates for electricity. Hospitals, factories, and families can’t.

If Illinois wants to lead in the AI era, we can’t just rely on old infrastructure. We need to build new nuclear plants, and that starts with ending the state’s ban on large reactors.

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