Meta’s AI Ambitions Power a Nuclear Revival in Landmark Vistra Deal

IRVING, TX – January 09, 2026 – In a landmark agreement that signals a powerful shift in corporate energy strategy, Vistra and Meta today announced a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) that will dedicate over 2,600 megawatts of carbon-free nuclear energy to power the tech giant's operations. The deal not only secures the future of three major nuclear plants in Ohio and Pennsylvania but also funds the largest corporate-backed nuclear capacity expansion in United States history, directly linking the future of nuclear power to the voracious energy demands of artificial intelligence.

The pact ensures that Vistra’s Beaver Valley, Davis-Besse, and Perry nuclear power plants will continue operating for decades to come, reversing a trend that saw similar plants facing premature retirement. Of the total contracted power, 2,176 MW will come from the plants' existing output, while a significant 433 MW of new capacity will be added to the grid through ambitious equipment upgrades, known as uprates. This new, reliable, 24/7 power source is tailor-made for the non-stop operational needs of Meta's data centers, which form the backbone of its AI ambitions.

“This is a unique and exciting collaboration, and Vistra is proud to partner with Meta on these long-term power purchase agreements,” said Jim Burke, president and CEO of Vistra. He emphasized the deal provides “the certainty needed to invest in these plants and communities and bring new nuclear generation online for the grid.”

For Meta, the move represents a strategic evolution in its clean energy procurement. “At Meta, we are investing in nuclear energy because it provides clean, reliable power that is essential for advancing our AI ambitions and strengthening American leadership in energy innovation,” said Urvi Parekh, Head of Global Energy at Meta.

A New Dawn for Nuclear, Powered by AI

The Vistra-Meta partnership is a clear indicator of a new economic reality: the exponential growth of AI is creating an unprecedented demand for electricity that is both clean and unfailingly reliable. While tech companies have been major investors in wind and solar power for years, the intermittent nature of those sources presents challenges for data centers that demand constant, stable power. This deal marks a significant diversification for Meta, embracing nuclear energy for its unique ability to provide massive amounts of carbon-free baseload power around the clock.

This strategic pivot has not gone unnoticed by investors. In the wake of the announcement, Vistra’s stock surged by as much as 14.9%, a clear vote of confidence from a market that increasingly sees nuclear energy as a critical component of the digital economy’s infrastructure. The sentiment on Wall Street is that “nuclear is the new tech trade,” with Vistra now positioned as a key energy supplier to the world’s most powerful technology firms.

The agreement provides a blueprint for how the tech industry can secure the power it needs while simultaneously driving decarbonization. By directly contracting for nuclear power, Meta is not only meeting its own sustainability goals but also providing the financial underpinning for the continued operation and expansion of critical clean energy assets.

The Blueprint of the Deal: Securing Decades of Clean Energy

At its core, the 20-year PPA is a financial instrument designed for long-term stability. For Vistra, it provides a predictable, multi-decade revenue stream from an investment-grade partner. This financial certainty was the missing piece needed to justify massive capital investments, including not only the uprates but also the complex and costly process of pursuing subsequent 20-year license renewals from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for all three plants. The uprate projects, which will add 433 MW of new capacity between 2031 and 2034, are projected to meet or exceed Vistra’s mid-teens levered return targets.

“As recently as 2020, before Vistra owned Perry, Davis-Besse, and Beaver Valley, these plants were on a path to retirement,” noted Stacey Doré, Vistra's Chief Strategy & Sustainability Officer. “Fast-forward to today and we're investing in expanding these same plants, and thanks to our dedicated employees and a committed partner like Meta, this fleet will continue to provide reliable, carbon-free energy to power the grid of the future.”

The deal is structured for a phased rollout. Meta will begin purchasing the existing 2,176 MW of energy in late 2026, with full delivery expected by the end of 2027. The new capacity from the uprates will come online incrementally, with the full 2,609 MW of power scheduled to be operational by the end of 2034.

Revitalizing Plants and Powering Regional Economies

Beyond the corporate boardrooms, the impact of this agreement will be felt most profoundly in the local communities of Ohio and Pennsylvania. The deal breathes new life into an industry that is a cornerstone of regional economies. The three plants—Perry and Davis-Besse in Ohio, and Beaver Valley in Pennsylvania—provide more than 2,000 high-paying, full-time jobs. This agreement secures those jobs for the long term.

Furthermore, the nine-year uprate projects are expected to create approximately 3,000 additional project-related jobs across engineering, construction, and specialized outage work. The economic ripple effect will be substantial, with Vistra projecting tens of millions of dollars in state and local tax revenue annually, bolstering public services and community infrastructure.

Elected officials from both states have lauded the partnership as a major victory for their constituents. “This partnership between Vistra and Meta taps into Pennsylvania's strengths as a national energy leader and will create and protect good-paying jobs, grow our economy, and ultimately add more power to the grid,” said Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro.

In Ohio, U.S. Senator Bernie Moreno called the investment a “huge win,” stating, “Bringing new nuclear generation online is key to Ohio and our nation's growth and security.” The bipartisan support highlights a growing consensus that preserving and expanding the existing nuclear fleet is essential for both economic prosperity and energy independence.

Bolstering the Grid and Charting a Path for Decarbonization

The Vistra-Meta agreement extends far beyond the two companies, promising to enhance the stability and cleanliness of the entire PJM Interconnection, the electricity grid serving 65 million people across 13 states and the District of Columbia. The addition of 2.6 GW of firm, carbon-free nuclear capacity reinforces the grid's foundation, providing a powerful counterbalance to the intermittency of renewable sources like wind and solar.

This infusion of baseload power helps ensure resource adequacy, making the grid more resilient and less susceptible to the price volatility of fossil fuels like natural gas. By preventing the premature closure of these plants, the deal avoids the loss of a massive source of clean energy and the potential need to replace it with carbon-emitting generation. The financial stability offered by the PPA is further supported by federal policies like the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which provides production tax credits for nuclear energy, making such long-term investments more economically viable.

Ultimately, this partnership serves as a powerful and replicable model for the energy transition. It demonstrates how corporate clean energy goals can be aligned with utility-scale infrastructure investment to achieve decarbonization at a massive scale. As other technology companies and large industrial users face similar challenges in sourcing reliable, clean power, the Vistra-Meta deal may well be remembered as the moment the digital revolution fully embraced the power of the atom.