Vistra announced it has entered into 20-year power purchasing agreements to provide more than 2,600 megawatts of zero-carbon energy from three Vistra nuclear plants—two in Ohio and one in Pennsylvania—to support Meta’s operations in the region.

In its own announcement, Meta said the agreements—along with additional deals struck with TerraPower and Oklo—will deliver power to the grids that support Meta’s operations, including its AI-focused Prometheus supercluster in New Albany, Ohio.

Dallas Innovates reported on Vistra’s purchase of the Ohio and Pennsylvania nuclear plants in 2023. Today’s news is the second big announcement Vistra has made this week. Just days ago, Vistra agreed to acquire Cogentrix Energy, consisting of 10 modern natural gas generation facilities totaling approximately 5,500 MW of capacity, in a $4 billion deal.

Largest nuclear uprates supported by a corporate customer in the U.S.

The Meta-Vistra power purchasing agreements include 2,176 MW of operating generation and an additional 433 MW of combined power output increases, billed as “the largest nuclear uprates supported by a corporate customer in the United States,” Vistra said. Uprates are increases in nuclear power generation from equipment upgrades. The agreements will also grow the local tax base, foster economic development in the region, and protect existing jobs while creating new ones, the company added.

“This is a unique and exciting collaboration, and Vistra is proud to partner with Meta on these long-term power purchase agreements, which ensure the continued safe and reliable operation of Vistra’s Beaver Valley, Davis-Besse, and Perry nuclear power plants for decades to come while providing a competitive solution for our customer to support its sustainable operations,” Jim Burke, president and CEO of Vistra, said in a statement.

“Importantly,” he added, “this commitment from Meta provides Vistra the certainty needed to invest in these plants and communities and bring new nuclear generation online for the grid—through uprates at our existing plants.”

License extensions planned for all three nuclear plants

With this announcement, Vistra said it will now begin planning for subsequent license extensions at all three plants, which would extend operations of these carbon-free assets for another 20 years.

Urvi Parekh, Head of Global Energy at Meta, said, “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. By supporting nuclear power, we ensure that our operations — and the communities we serve — benefit from energy solutions that drive both technological progress and economic growth.”

Agreement details

Vistra detailed the agreements, noting that Meta is purchasing 2,176 MW of nuclear energy and capacity from the operating Perry and Davis-Besse plants in Ohio. Meta is also purchasing 433 MW of incremental nuclear energy and capacity from equipment upgrades to increase generation output (uprates) at the Perry (Ohio), Davis-Besse (Ohio), and Beaver Valley (Pennsylvania) plants—more than 15% of the contracted capacity announced today will be new capacity added to the PJM region. 

The electricity generated at the plants will continue to go to the grid for all electricity users, Vistra noted.

The agreement is designed to benefit “PJM customers,” Vistra said, referring to Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Maryland, where the electricity provider got its start. The company delivers energy to all or parts of Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia, according to the PJM website.

“As recently as 2020, before Vistra owned Perry, Davis-Besse, and Beaver Valley, these plants were on a path to retirement,” said Stacey Doré, Chief Strategy & Sustainability Officer of Vistra. “When we signed a deal to acquire these plants in 2023, Vistra saw their tremendous contribution—to the reliability of the grid, to the stability of the region, to their local communities, and to the people who work there. 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.”

Meta’s purchases under the agreements will begin in late 2026, with additional capacity added to the grid through 2034, when the full 2,609 MW of power will be online, Vistra said.

Each of the three plants has received initial license renewal from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The agreements provide certainty for Vistra to pursue subsequent license renewal for each of the reactors, which would extend each license an additional 20 years. Currently, Beaver Valley Unit 1 is licensed through 2036; Davis-Besse is licensed through 2037; Perry is licensed through 2046; and Beaver Valley Unit 2 is licensed through 2047.

Economic engine for the region

Vistra’s nuclear plants have been significant contributors to local economies since their construction. The agreements continue that commitment, including tens of millions of dollars in state and local taxes each year, substantial charitable giving, community involvement, and volunteerism by the company and its employees.

These three plants provide thousands of well-paying jobs, Vistra said. Over the life of the uprate projects, which span approximately nine years, approximately 3,000 project-related jobs across engineering, construction, and planned outage work are expected, adding to the economic impact around these plants.

More on Vistra’s nuclear plants in Ohio and Pennsylvania, per the company:

• Perry is a single-unit power plant located on Lake Erie, about 40 miles northeast of Cleveland in Perry, Ohio. The plant has a capacity of 1,268 MW and provides more than 600 full-time jobs in the North Perry area.
• Davis-Besse is a single-unit power plant in Oak Harbor, Ohio, located on Lake Erie, approximately 35 miles east of Toledo. The plant has a capacity of 908 MW and provides more than 600 full-time jobs in the area.
• Beaver Valley is a two-unit power plant in western Pennsylvania, about 30 miles northwest of Pittsburgh. The plant has a capacity of 1,872 MW and provides more than 750 full-time jobs in the area.

Support for the deal

Vistra’s agreement with Meta garnered bipartisan support from politicians across the region.

“Bringing new nuclear generation online is key to Ohio and our nation’s growth and security, and Vistra’s significant investment is a huge win for Ohio,” U.S. Senator Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) said in a statement. “Thanks to this announcement, essential plants will remain on the grid for the long-term, supporting jobs and local revenues.”

“This agreement reinforces Pennsylvania’s leadership in clean, reliable nuclear power and will support Pennsylvania’s workers, unlock new capacity to meet rising electricity demand, and help power economic growth and development across Beaver County and our Commonwealth,” said U.S. Senator Dave McCormick (R-Pennsylvania). 

Governor Josh Shapiro (D-Pennsylvania) said the 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.”

Shapiro said his administration “is working to generate even more power in the Commonwealth to keep up with rising demand—with more power comes more national security, more independence, and more economic freedom. Projects like this—bringing new clean energy to our grid to power next generation technology—are exactly the types of projects we want to welcome to the Commonwealth.”

“The Beaver Valley Nuclear Plant has been a trusted source of affordable, reliable power since 1976,” said Pennsylvania State Rep. Josh Kail (R-Beaver Co./Washington Co.). “Extending its operating license will secure over 750 high-quality jobs for decades, ensuring long-term economic stability for Beaver County and beyond. It’s a smart, private investment that benefits communities without shifting the burden to taxpayers. This is a major win for western Pennsylvania.”

David Seeley contributed to this report.

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