
Duane Arnold's $1.9B Loan: The Costliest Nuclear Restart in US History
NextEra Energy secured a $1.9 billion federal loan to restart the 615-megawatt Duane Arnold nuclear plant in Iowa, the largest financial commitment for any US reactor revival. The funding covers the reconstruction of critical infrastructure, including cooling towers, transformers, and transmission lines, which were dismantled after the plant's 2020 shutdown. Despite being the smallest of three federally financed restarts, Duane Arnold requires the highest cost per kilowatt, at approximately $3,090, compared to $1,890 for Palisades and $1,200 for Crane. The plant aims to resume operations by early 2029, with most output destined for Google's data centers.










