Walmart signs its first long-term nuclear power purchase agreement, providing clean baseload energy for data center operations.

Retail giant Walmart has signed its first nuclear power purchase agreement, securing approximately 176 MW of emissions-free electricity from Constellation Energy's Dresden Clean Energy Center in Illinois. The deal consists of two 15-year contracts beginning in 2029 and 2030, under which Walmart will purchase electricity, capacity, and associated environmental attributes to support a new high-tech perishable distribution center currently under development in Belvidere, Illinois.

The agreement allows Constellation to increase output from its existing nuclear units without constructing new generating facilities, thereby providing additional carbon-free electricity to the grid. This marks Walmart's first nuclear PPA and is among the first such agreements between a major U.S. retailer and a nuclear energy facility.

Walmart has committed to reducing Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 65% by 2030 and reaching net zero by 2040. However, the company warned in 2024 that it does not expect to meet its interim climate goals due to factors outside its control, including a lack of low-carbon refrigeration and mobility technologies and gaps in clean energy policy and infrastructure.

Shayne Wahlmeier, Senior Vice President of Energy at Walmart US, stated: "Working with Constellation allows us to support new operations in Illinois while advancing our strategy in a way that prioritizes affordable, reliable, and clean energy for our business and the communities we serve. We're constantly evaluating new capabilities and energy solutions that help ensure the electricity we rely on is dependable, responsibly produced, and built to support long-term growth."

The Dresden facility, located in Illinois, provides baseload carbon-free electricity to the region and supports more than 1,100 jobs. In December 2025, Constellation announced the extension of operating licenses for the Dresden Clean Energy Center through 2049 and 2051.

Jim McHugh, Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer at Constellation, said: "Walmart's commitment enables meaningful investment in the Dresden Clean Energy Center — bolstering reliability, sustaining local jobs and economic activity, and putting more dependable, emissions-free energy onto the Illinois power grid."