Nuclear Plants

Large data center under construction in New Albany, Ohio.

After the servers go dark

The rise and fall of communities with decommissioned nuclear facilities hold critical lessons for those considering hosting data centers.

June 4, 2026 - Jim Hamilton

View of Three Mile Island nuclear power plant with four reactor towers on a sunny day.

Three Mile Island Nuclear Plant Could Power Microsoft Data Centers

The proposal to restart one unit of the infamous plant, which suffered a partial meltdown in 1979, still requires federal, state, and local approvals.

September 24, 2024 - Reuters

View from a distance of Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant on the coast n Japan

How Nuclear Energy Could Impact the Water Supply

Releasing contaminated water into the ocean or other water bodies could have severe, long-term impacts on drinking water supplies and aquatic life.

September 6, 2023 - Governing

Diablo Canyon Nuclear

Opinion: Replacing Nuclear Plants Amounts to 'Treadmill Decarbonization'

Shutting down one form of clean energy with plans to replace it with another keeps us running in place, or worse, falling behind on decarbonization goals.

July 25, 2021 - The Breakthrough

Nuclear Power

South Carolinians Still on the Hook for Failed Nuclear Plants

“It has to be one of the greatest wastes of money in any state’s history,” Alan Greenblatt writes.

January 27, 2018 - Governing

Shuttering of Illinois Nuke Plants Cause Enviro Groups to Rethink Opposition

The Wall Street Journal reports that the climate crisis is causing some mainstream environmental groups, including the largest, the Sierra Club, to rethink their long-standing opposition to the carbon-free power source.

June 20, 2016 - The Wall Street Journal

Miami-Dade Reports Leaking Wastewater from Turkey Point Nuclear Plant

The bad news for Biscayne Bay is the latest in a string of bad news for the Turkey Point nuclear plant.

March 12, 2016 - Miami New Times

Nuclear New York

Defending Nuclear Power Plants from Sea Level Rise

Environmentalists are pushing the nuclear industry to do more to prepare for sea level rise. An estimated 13 nuclear plants in the U.S. are considered vulnerable now or in the future.

December 17, 2015 - National Geographic

High-Voltage Power Lines Awaken the German NIMBY

Never mind that the lines are needed to carry renewable energy from wind turbines in the north to industries in the south to meet the nation's formidable carbon reduction policies. Public health and property values come first for some neighbors.

December 30, 2014 - The New York Times

DOE Clears Way for First Nuclear Construction in 30 Years

Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz is expected to announce final approval for an $8.3 billion loan guarantee for the first nuclear reactors to be built in the united States in more than three decades.

February 19, 2014 - National Journal

Unfinished Nuclear Plant Converted into Amusement Park

A never-completed nuclear reactor in Germany is being converted into an amusement park. The project has been years in the works, and is still only partially converted.

June 10, 2011 - Der Spiegel

Illinois Opens Door to New Nuclear Plants

State legislators in Illinois have lifted a 23-year ban on building nuclear plants within the state.

March 17, 2010 - Chicago Sun-Times

FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.

Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold

The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.