For the first time in its six-decade history, the Natural Resources Defense Council is supporting a nuclear plant. (Axios)
The context: Google plans to revive Iowa’s only nuclear plant to power a nearby data center. A potential restart could arrive as soon as 2029. And after decades of nuclear opposition from the NRDC, the org is backing this move.
Why the switch-up?: This restart would deliver climate, environmental, and consumer benefits, the NRDC argues, because the data center would otherwise draw power from coal and gas. But the group has safety concerns...especially with the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission in President Trump’s hands.
Iowa’s electricity mix: The Hawkeye State ranks second nationwide in wind energy production, getting nearly 60% of its power from wind. But as power demand climbed between 2024 and 2025, Iowa’s coal generation jumped 32%. Now, a nuclear revival could cut this coal surge short.