Eastern Iowa Nuclear Power Plant One Step Closer to Reopening

The dormant Duane Arnold Energy Center in Palo, Iowa's only nuclear power plant, is now one step closer to reopening.

Linn County Board Approves Rezoning Request

The Corridor Business Journal reports that the Linn County Board of Supervisors approved the third and final reading of a rezoning request for the Duane Arnold Energy Center. It rezones the 393-acre site in Palo from agricultural to Exclusive Use 2, a new zoning category approved by Linn County last September, that is for properties that host nuclear energy facilities, according to the CBJ. 

What Does the Rezoning Mean for the Power Plant?

The rezoning approval clears a key hurdle for NextEra Energy Resources as they attempt to restart the Duane Arnold Energy Center in Palo, according to the CBJ. The power plant was shut down in 2020 due to economic issues. One minor change to the ordinance is that NextEra must reach a road use agreement with the city of Palo and Linn County.

When Will the Nuclear Power Plant be Open?

The CBJ reports that NextEra officials say they hope to have the plant up and running again by early 2029. There are many more regulatory steps that need to be taken at both the state and federal levels before that happens. According to the CBJ, most of the power from Duane Arnold will be used by Google's new Linn County data center in an agreement announced last October.

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