DAUPHIN COUNTY, Pa. (WHP) — The Crane Clean Energy Center on Three Mile Island will be able to withdraw 73.2 million gallons of water daily from the Susquehanna River to power its electrical generators.
The Susquehanna River Basin Commission said it voted to approve this amount of water usage during a meeting Thursday.
Commissioners said this amount is not expected to bring “significant adverse impact to the ecosystem and other users” of the Susquehanna.
Additionally, 73.2 million gallons is only about 0.3 percent of the average daily water flow in the river, the commissioners added.
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Constellation Energy, the owner of Crane Clean Energy Center, will be required to release water back into the river during droughts, or stop water consumption altogether.
A look at the main generator inside unit 1 of Three Mile Island. Officials say it doesn’t need to replaced in order to restart the plant. (WHP)
Commissioners also clarified that none of the water will be used directly for a data center.
“Constellation’s pending applications are for water uses associated only with electric power generation operations at the CCEC facility and do not include a request to use water for a data center,” commissioners wrote May 13.
Constellation Energy told CBS 21 in March that it is on track to open in the second half of 2027.
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