Iowa’s Duane Arnold Nuclear Plant was shuttered in 2020 after utility Alliant Energy and plant owner NextEra Energy ended their power purchase agreement several years early. Five years later, NextEra is working to bring the nuclear reactor back online. Now, the federal government has given them the green light to start moving the plant out of retirement. 

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has granted a waiver allowing the nuclear plant to reconnect to the power grid through 2029. While NextEra is still waiting for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to restore Duane Arnold’s operating license before the plant can be restarted, FERC’s waiver approval is a significant step forward. NextEra estimates the plant could begin producing power as early as the first quarter of 2028. 

“While a significant amount of work needs to be done before the facility could be restarted, FERC’s decision is another positive step in the process,” said Neil Nissan, a NextEra spokesperson. 

NextEra needed the waiver from FERC to reclaim grid interconnection rights. These rights entitle an energy generator to connect to and inject energy into the power grid and regulate how they do so. After the nuclear plant was shut down, the interconnection rights were divided among multiple proposed solar projects. While some solar has been developed at the site, NextEra is looking to pivot from developing more solar projects to nuclear power. 

“The recommissioning of Duane Arnold represents an opportunity to return over 600 MWe [megawatts] of retired nuclear generation capacity to service,” NextEra said. “Duane Arnold is one of the last viable nuclear recommissioning opportunities in the United States, presenting a unique opportunity to add new nuclear generation to the grid before the end of the decade.”

Linn County, where Duane Arnold is located, has been taking steps to address the plant’s reopening and work to ensure that it is a positive experience for local residents. The county board of supervisors recently passed an ordinance requiring a legally binding community agreement with NextEra. While the board cannot block the restart, supervisors say the ordinance will protect local taxpayers from shouldering public safety or infrastructure costs tied to the plant’s return.

Duane Arnold operated for 45 years before the plant was shut down, providing nearly 10 percent of Iowa’s total energy and nearly 20 percent of its clean energy while it was open. If successfully reopened, the plant will provide enough annual energy output to keep the lights on in 400,000 homes. Duane Arnold was the state’s only nuclear plant—Iowa deserves to benefit from this clean, affordable source of energy again.

The views and opinions expressed are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of C3.