Three Mile Island Seeks 73 Million Gallons Daily Despite Pennsylvania Drought Warnings

Constellation Energy wants to pull 73.2 million gallons of water daily from the Susquehanna River. The company submitted the request to the Susquehanna River Basin Commission for approval. The water would go to the Crane Clean Energy Center, which most people still know as Three Mile Island.

Three Mile Island is famous for hosting the worst commercial nuclear accident in U.S. history. The facility’s been dormant for years, but Constellation Energy‘s now working to bring it back online. The company’s rebranded it as the Crane Clean Energy Center and plans to restart operations around 2027.

The water isn’t for nuclear power generation. It’s for cooling Microsoft data centers that the facility’s expected to support. Data centers generate enormous amounts of heat, and they need large volumes of water to stay cool.

The timing of the request’s drawing criticism. Several Pennsylvania counties are currently dealing with abnormal to severe drought conditions. Residents and local stakeholders are questioning why a large tech company should get access to millions of gallons of river water while communities are already stressed for water.

The Basin Commission held a public hearing to discuss the application. Written comments are being accepted through May 4. The commission’s responsible for weighing the environmental and regional impacts of the request before making a decision. On April 14, low flow conditions on the Susquehanna River triggered stop orders for fracking-related water withdrawals across three Pennsylvania counties.

Supporters of the project point out that 73 million gallons sounds like a lot, but it’s only about 0.3% of the Susquehanna River’s daily water flow. That’s roughly one drop in a gallon bucket. They argue the extraction wouldn’t noticeably affect the river. For context, at its peak Three Mile Island drew 122.8 million gallons daily from the same river, nearly double what’s now being requested.

Critics aren’t convinced. Local communities say the percentage argument misses the point. They’re worried about what happens during drought periods when river levels drop. They also question whether corporate water needs should take priority over public access during dry conditions. Experts have warned that climate variability poses risks to energy and water security across regions, making long-term resource planning increasingly critical.

The Susquehanna River Basin Commission hasn’t made a final decision yet. The public comment period gives residents a chance to make their voices heard before any approval moves forward. The commission’s expected to weigh all input before ruling on the water extraction request.

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