Walmart has signed a contract to receive electricity produced at a U.S. nuclear power plant over the long term, reinforcing its strategy to secure clean energy. As corporate power purchase agreements, once focused on solar and wind, expand into nuclear power, the deal is drawing attention as a case of a large retailer adding nuclear energy to its power procurement portfolio.

On July 9 local time, electric vehicle outlet CleanTechnica reported that Walmart signed a long-term power purchase agreement with Constellation, the largest operator of nuclear power plants in the United States, to receive electricity produced at the Dresden Clean Energy Center in Illinois.

The contract covers about 176 megawatts. Of that, 30 MW is new generating capacity secured through boosted output at the existing nuclear plant. The core is expanding a stable power supply without carbon emissions by producing additional electricity through higher efficiency at existing plants instead of building new nuclear power stations.

Under two rounds of contracts starting in 2029 and 2030, Walmart will receive electricity and environmental attribute generating capacity for 15 years each. Constellation explained that the deal would support stable operation of the Dresden nuclear plant and also enable planned investment to boost output.

Jim McHugh (짐 맥휴), Constellation’s senior vice president and chief commercial officer, said, "This agreement is a long-term investment in America’s critical energy infrastructure and communities," and added, "Walmart’s participation enables meaningful investment in the Dresden plant and will help grid reliability and the local economy."

The deal differs in nature from typical solar and wind power purchase agreements. The two companies said it is Walmart’s first nuclear-based PPA and among the early cases in the United States signed by a large retail company and a nuclear plant operator.

The procured power will also be used to expand Walmart’s logistics infrastructure. The two companies said the additional electricity secured through the Dresden plant’s boosted output is large enough to support operations at an advanced fresh-food distribution center Walmart is building in Belvidere, Illinois. The strategy is to secure stable carbon-free power while underpinning logistics facility operations and supply chain expansion.

Walmart expects the agreement to raise the share of clean energy in its procurement while also securing long-term power price stability. Constellation also sees it as contributing to improving the economics of nuclear power, maintaining local jobs and strengthening grid stability.

The market views the agreement as showing a shift in companies’ power procurement strategies. As demand grows for stable around-the-clock electricity amid the spread of AI data centers and large logistics facilities, more cases are emerging in which nuclear power, as well as weather-dependent renewable energy, is included in long-term contracts.

It is also significant that private funding was linked to boosting output at an existing nuclear plant rather than building a new one. That is because generation can be increased at relatively low cost, offering an advantage in rapidly expanding carbon-free electricity.

The industry sees Walmart’s deal as potentially spreading beyond large retailers to manufacturing and data center operators and other industries that need stable power. As competition intensifies to secure clean energy, attention is focused on whether nuclear power will establish itself as a new pillar of long-term power procurement.