Perry nuclear plant seeks to operate into 2060s, as Meta deal boosts output

PERRY TOWNSHIP, Ohio — Backed by its new long-term power agreement with Meta, the Perry Nuclear Power Plant is moving to extend its operating license into the 2060s, plant officials said this week.

Additional details about the Meta agreement and Perry’s long-term plans emerged during a Tuesday briefing to Geauga County commissioners, where plant officials outlined how the deal is shaping both a license-extension push and a series of planned upgrades at the site.

Under the agreement with Facebook’s parent company — part of Meta’s push to secure nuclear power for its growing artificial intelligence and data center operations — officials said the Perry plant is preparing to boost its electricity output by about 15%.

Terry Brown, vice president of the plant, told commissioners that Vistra — which bought Perry in 2024 — now intends to pursue another 20-year federal license extension from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, a move that could allow Perry to run as far as 2066.

The plant, built in 1986, received its first license extension last summer, allowing it to operate through 2046.

Perry currently produces about 1,300 megawatts of electricity. The planned uprate would add roughly 200 megawatts, Brown said, pushing the plant’s output to around 1,500 megawatts.

The increase at Perry represents part of Vistra’s Meta-related upgrades at three nuclear plants — Perry, Davis-Besse near Toledo, and Beaver Valley in Pennsylvania — which would add a combined 433 megawatts of new capacity across the system.

Brown told commissioners the Meta deal came as the plant ended a prior power purchase agreement. He described the shift as one that will help provide long-term certainty for Perry’s operations.

Brown said the power uprate would require significant equipment upgrades, which Vistra plans to complete during scheduled refueling outages in 2027, 2029 and 2031.

The largest phase of work is planned for 2031, when the reactor would be shut down for roughly 80 days. Brown said that outage is expected to bring about 1,000 additional workers to the site, providing a temporary economic boost to the region.

Smaller outages, which typically occur around March, are planned for 2027 and 2029.

Perry employs about 600 full-time staff and more than 200 permanent contractors, according to Vistra.

Brown framed the project as part of a broader shift in how large technology companies are approaching energy supply. Meta says it is pursuing long-term nuclear energy agreements to support its growing demand for electricity driven…

Ohio, in particular, has seen a surge in interest from data centers and other energy-intensive industries, raising questions about grid capacity and long-term power planning.

Brown said Perry’s upgrades would position the plant to remain a major source of baseload power for decades, while supporting both regional economic stability and evolving national energy needs.

“What the big change is is the investment in the plant, and the long-term viability of the plant,” Brown said. “It’s been a challenge. I’ve been part of the company going through that, and it’s really exciting to see the direction we’re heading.”