NextEra Energy secured a loan of up to $1.9 billion from the U.S. Department of Energy to restart the Duane Arnold Energy Center in Linn County, Iowa, the agency said. The financing closed September 8, 2026 through DOE's Office of Energy Dominance Financing (EDF) and funds the return of Iowa's only nuclear power plant, which has sat idle since it stopped operating in 2020.
DOE tied the restart to President Trump's energy dominance agenda and an Executive Order titled Reinvigorating the Nuclear Industrial Base.
The financing also reflects a defined pattern in federal energy policy: restart idled reactors rather than rely only on new construction. This is DOE's third nuclear restart loan under the current administration, one of four conditional commitments and closings the department has completed so far.
What the restart adds
Duane Arnold will return 615 megawatts of baseload generation to the grid, enough to power close to 500,000 homes, according to DOE. The project is expected to create nearly 1,500 jobs during construction and support more than 450 jobs once the plant is running, serving growing electricity demand across Iowa and the wider Midwest.
The reaction
Deputy Secretary of Energy James P. Danly called the restart "another step in advancing America's nuclear renaissance" and said the returning power would help lower electricity costs while supporting jobs. EDF Director Gregory A. Beard called Duane Arnold "exactly the kind of investment" he said will help restore U.S. nuclear leadership and strengthen energy security.
What's next
Duane Arnold's return to service still requires licensing approval from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
