FERC Blocks AWS Data Center Expansion at Susquehanna Nuclear Plant, Citing Grid Reliability Concerns

Nov 4, 2024, 05:08 PM

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has blocked Amazon Web Services' (AWS) data center expansion at the Susquehanna nuclear plant, citing grid reliability concerns. This decision impacts Talen Energy's request to increase co-located load capacity at the facility from 300MW to 480MW. The rejection has led to a significant decline in the shares of several energy companies, including Talen Energy ($TLN), Vistra Corp., and Constellation Energy. Vistra Corp. shares fell by 3.87% in premarket trading, while Constellation Energy saw a 10.3% drop. The ruling indicates that Amazon's ($AMZN) data centers still need grid support and cannot be fully considered behind the meter. This decision is expected to have a chilling effect on future AI-powered data center projects.