On Monday, Akron, Ohio‘s Energy Harbor, which operates the second-largest non-regulated nuclear fleet in the United States, announced it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with data center owner-operator Standard Power to develop a large-scale carbon free data infrastructure operation adjacent to Energy Harbor’s Beaver Valley nuclear plant in Shippingport, Pennsylvania.
Under the terms of the agreement, the partnership will complete a required feasibility analysis to determine optimal engineering, co-location and implementation for a new data center. During phase 1, Standard Power will commit to a 10 year agreement to purchase between 200 and 300 MWs of 100% carbon free electricity and capacity through a direct connection to the Beaver Valley nuclear facility at a fixed price that reflects (what it calls) the value of the clean, baseload and carbon free attributes of nuclear power. Phase 1 of development is expected to come online in 2023 and 2024, with the opportunity to scale development up to 900 MWs in subsequent phases.
“We appreciate the opportunity to build upon our strong relationship with Standard Power through this industry-transforming transaction,” Energy Harbor Chief Operating Officer and Chief Nuclear Officer, David Hamilton, said. “This effort is an important step in the transformation of the regions around our nuclear plants into Clean Energy Centers (CECs) that will be the necessary 24/7 carbon free, infrastructure backbone of the US economy.”
“This agreement and projects like the clean hydrogen pilot at our Davis-Besse Nuclear Station, demonstrate that clean energy infrastructure development near our nuclear facilities will create additional jobs and economic growth for our local communities,” Energy Harbor President and CEO John Judge said. “We look forward to the culmination of these efforts as we pursue Clean Energy Center (CEC) projects at our nuclear facilities in Ohio and Pennsylvania.”
“Data infrastructure and the associated technology is energy intensive, and we recognize our responsibility to build a more environmentally sustainable future. Expanding our relationship with Energy Harbor strategically enables us to proactively structure our hosting capabilities to ensure that 100% of the power associated with this facility is carbon free,” said Standard Power CEO Maxim Serezhin.
In March, Energy Harbor announced plans to become a 100 percent carbon-free energy infrastructure and supply company in 2023. As the final step in the transition plan, Energy Harbor said it intends to exit the fossil business through a sale or deactivation of its W.H. Sammis Power Station in Stratton, Ohio and its Pleasants Power Station in Willow Island, West Virginia, facilities representing 3,074 megawatts (MW) of generating capacity, in 2023 The company is also working to divest other non–core, ancillary properties related to its fossil business.
