Smallest U.S. reactor restart draws the biggest federal check
DOE approved up to $1.9 billion in loans for restarting Duane Arnold, a 615 MW boiling-water reactor near Palo, Iowa—the smallest restart yet the most expensive per kilowatt due to the cooling towers, transformer, and transmission lines being removed—highlighting the complexities and potential bill for grid reliability and ratepayers, with licensing actions due by 2028 and a target to be back on the grid by early 2029.