Those of us over the age of 50 remember the Three Mile Island nuclear reactor accident in Pennsylvania that along with the Hollywood movie The China Syndrome did more than anything in the 1970s and after to scare Americans about the risks of nuclear power. A lot of it was anti-nuclear media hype. The joke back then was that more people died in Ted Kennedy’s car than at Three Mile Island.

Nuclear power remains one of the safest, cleanest (no greenhouse gas emissions), and cheapest forms of power generation.

So it is welcome news that Microsoft is bringing Pennsylvania’s dormant Three Mile Island nuclear plant back to life. The plant is set to reopen by 2028 and will provide 835 megawatts, enough to power 800,000 homes.

The restart of Three Mile Island comes as the tech industry reports it will need massive energy sources to support its boom in artificial intelligence. Microsoft will purchase all the power the restarted reactor produces for the next 20 years, contributing $16 billion to the state’s economy.

Nuclear power is increasingly accepted by the public. A new Pew Research poll reports that “Americans in both parties now see nuclear power more positively” with support among Democrats up 12 points since 2020 to 49 percent, and up 14 points with Republicans during the same period.

The big question now is: why don’t the climate change fanatics see the advantages of clean and affordable nuclear power? Could it be they don’t want clean and abundant energy?  See item 4 below.