A data center could be built at the site of a former nuclear power plant in Wiscasset, Maine.

According to reporting from WMTW, the Wiscasset selectboard confirmed that the town had been contacted by a site assessor about the potential construction of a data center adjacent to the electrical infrastructure of the former Maine Yankee Nuclear Power Plant.

According to reports, the town-owned plot is situated on Old Ferry Road, which is adjacent to the former nuclear plant. Town officials confirmed that, at present, the plan is conceptual, with no formal proposal to purchase the plot.

"The selectboard has not taken any action or reached any decisions, as it does not have nearly enough information to reach any conclusions. It has only been listening," the board said in its statement.

If a proposal is made, it would need to undergo a regulatory review process, obtain local permits, and be subject to public scrutiny, with final approval contingent upon approval from the local community.

Town officials noted that the legacy infrastructure of the Maine Yankee plant would expedite the construction of a data center. However, it is yet to be determined whether the interconnection infrastructure could support a large-scale data center project and if the region has the necessary generation capacity to power the project.

Despite concerns, town officials seemed supportive of the potential proposal, believing it could have a positive economic impact on the town.

"If a project could take shape, it would be a game-changer for the region. Data centers are valued in the billions of dollars, and the potential tax revenue would likely be on par with the former Maine Yankee plant. The Selectboard felt that it would be a disservice to the taxpayers and residents of the town to dismiss the idea out of hand without gathering more information on the possibilities, as well as the pros and cons," said the board.

The Maine Yankee plant operated from 1972 to 1996. However, due to persistent issues, the plant became uneconomical to run, leading to its closure and subsequent dismantling between 1997 and 2005. When operational, the plant had a capacity of 860MWe and spanned an 820-acre plot of land. Concerns persist regarding the final disposal of the plant’s nuclear waste, as much of it remains on the site.

Maine has a relatively small data center market, with Data Center Map recording seven operational facilities across four operators.

In April, Nautilus canceled its planned 60MW data center in Millinocket, Maine. The project was initially announced back in 2021 and was set to launch at the end of 2022. According to reports, the project was scrapped because the company failed to secure an artificial intelligence customer due to a lack of available power.