Walmart signed its first 176 MW nuclear power purchase agreement with Constellation Energy for long-term data center baseload power.

Walmart has signed its first nuclear power purchase agreement with Constellation for approximately 176 MW of nuclear electricity from the Dresden Clean Energy Center in Illinois. The deal includes 30 MW of expanded generating capacity and will supply a planned large-scale, high-tech perishable distribution centre that Walmart intends to build in Belvidere, Illinois.

The Dresden Clean Energy Center operates two boiling water reactors: Dresden Unit 2, rated at 894 MWe and connected to the grid in April 1970, and Dresden Unit 3, rated at 879 MWe, which came online in July 1971. In December, Constellation was granted 20-year subsequent licenses for both units, enabling them to operate for 80 years in total—until 2049 for Dresden Unit 2 and 2051 for Dresden Unit 3. A comparable process was completed for the Hatch nuclear plant in Georgia, which also secured an 80-year operating licence.

Jim McHugh, Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer at Constellation, said the agreement "reflects long-term stewardship of critical infrastructure" and would enable meaningful investment in the Dresden facility, bolstering grid reliability in Illinois and sustaining local jobs. Shayne Wahlmeier, SVP Energy at Walmart US, said the deal advances the company's strategy of prioritising energy that is "affordable, reliable, and clean," adding that Walmart continually evaluates new energy solutions to ensure its electricity is "dependable, responsibly produced, and built to support long-term growth."

Nuclear power purchase agreements have become increasingly common in the United States over the past two to three years, with most high-profile deals previously involving technology companies and data centres rather than large retailers. Walmart, which operates 10,900 stores across 19 countries, serves 280 million customers, and reported 2026 revenue of $713 billion, represents a new buyer profile for this type of agreement. Other markets are also expanding their nuclear capacity to meet growing commercial and industrial energy demand, with Canada targeting ten new plants.