Here & Now Anytime AI is bringing old nuclear plants out of retirement
Dec 11, 2025
Katie Huff, an associate professor at the University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign and former U.S. Department of Energy official, dives into the pivotal role of nuclear energy in our future. She discusses the reopening of old plants like Palisades and Three Mile Island to meet rising electricity demands driven by AI. Huff sheds light on the challenges of scaling up nuclear for decarbonization, including regulatory hurdles and costs. She also explores the promise of small modular reactors and the importance of government support and standardization in achieving a nuclear revival.
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AI Drives Near-Term Electricity Crunch
- Rising electricity demand from data centers and AI is forcing urgent capacity decisions now.
- Restarting recent shutdown plants is faster and cheaper than building new reactors to meet immediate needs.
Palisades Recommissioned With Local Staff
- Palisades shut in 2022 for financial reasons and Holtec rehired many former staff to recommission it.
- Jim Bird and teams rebuilt the simulator, retrained operators, and prepared to restart operations early next year.
Local Economy Hinges On Plant Jobs
- Covert township relied on Palisades for decades and lost significant tax revenue when it closed.
- Dewi Cook describes the plant as a generational economic lifeline and stresses the importance of Holtec staying a good neighbor.