State roundup: New developments in Midwest, New England

Power purchase agreements, statewide energy plans, and nuclear energy summits are among the developments in Wisconsin, Missouri, and New England that you may have missed during the early days of fall.

Oracle agrees to Point Beach power purchase: Oracle and We Energies have reached an agreement for the tech giant to purchase some of the power the utility is required to purchase from the Point Beach nuclear power plant in Two Rivers, Wis. The agreement requires approval from the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin, the announcement said, and is expected to save We Energies customers roughly $300 million in energy costs.

We Energies sold Point Beach to current operator NextEra Energy in 2007 and has since been buying nuclear power from the plant.

"Oracle is stepping up with a commitment that will directly benefit more than 1 million Wisconsin utility customers," Oracle Cloud Infrastructure executive vice president Mahesh Thiagarajan said. "By absorbing approximately $300 million in rising energy costs, we are helping protect Wisconsin ratepayers while supporting the reliable, carbon-free power the state depends on. This is a meaningful investment in Wisconsin's future-and in the communities we are proud to serve."

The agreement between the two sides builds on Oracle's investment in the state through Project Lighthouse, which involves the construction of an Oracle data center in Port Washington, Wis.

Additional details will be submitted to the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin in the coming months as part of the review of the agreement between Oracle and We Energies. Point Beach, the state's only nuclear power plant, is home to two 615-MWe pressurized water reactors.

Missouri unveils long-term plan: Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe and the state's Department of Natural Resources unveiled the Missouri State Energy Plan on September 30. The energy plan is described by Kehoe as a road map for officials and other interested parties to follow in hopes of making the state less dependent on out-of-state energy sources. Nuclear energy features prominently in the energy plan-in fact, the Missouri Advanced Nuclear Energy Task Force established by the governor earlier this year is responsible for considering the recommendations outlined in the energy plan.

Missouri is home to the Missouri University Research Reactor, the Missouri S&T Nuclear Reactor and the single-unit Callaway, the state's only commercial nuclear power plant.

The plan lists four primary goals:

• Expand in-state power generation and infrastructure to reduce reliance on out-of-state energy.
• Enable the growth of nuclear power in the state.
• Align Missouri's potential energy expansion with direct and indirect economic growth.
• Improve grid reliability by making better use of the state's current grid infrastructure.

"We must evaluate Missouri's energy future not just for the near term but over the next two decades," Kehoe said. "In recent years, Missouri has become more dependent on electricity from outside our state borders. The State Energy Plan provides a roadmap for reversing that trend so that economic development can move forward with sufficient, cost-effective, in-state energy resources."

The 58-page report recommended evaluating the feasibility and design of a state nuclear power authority that could direct Missouri's new nuclear development efforts in areas including financing.

New England summit: Energy officials from Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont gathered at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell on September 30 for the 2026 New England Regional Nuclear Policy Summit, hosted by the National Governors Association (NGA). The meeting provided attendees with a chance to explore the options in the region for new nuclear power opportunities.

Present at the summit were representatives from the six states, the energy industry, and communities. Topics of discussion covered New England's future electricity needs and projects; safety, community engagement, and public trust; feedback from international and federal experts; regional and state-specific approaches on exploring new nuclear projects; and available business models to advance these types of projects.

The summit fits into the states' shared visions for exploring new nuclear opportunities outlined in a March statement from all six governors.

"We appreciate, and amplify, the value of working together with multiple stakeholders to engage in important conversations surrounding the future of energy and the needs of communities across New England," said Anne Maglia, UMass-Lowell's vice chancellor for research and economic development . "We are grateful to the National Governors Association for organizing this important meeting."