Pennsylvania leaders say the Beaver Valley Nuclear Power Plant in western Pennsylvania will play a central role in a sweeping new energy agreement announced Jan. 9, as Vistra and Meta finalized long-term power purchase agreements designed to keep the plant — and hundreds of local jobs — operating for decades.
“This partnership between Vistra and Meta taps into Pennsylvania’s strengths as a national energy leader and will create and protect good-paying jobs, grow our economy, and ultimately add more power to the grid,” said Gov. Josh Shapiro. “My administration is working to generate even more power in the commonwealth to keep up with rising demand — with more power comes more national security, more independence, and more economic freedom.
“Projects like this — bringing new clean energy to our grid to power next generation technology — are exactly the types of projects we want to welcome to the commonwealth,” he added.
Vistra has entered into 20-year power purchase agreements (PPAs) with Meta to supply more than 2,600 megawatts (MW) of zero-carbon electricity from Beaver Valley, as well as the Davis-Besse and Perry nuclear plants in Ohio.
The deal includes both existing generation and major output increases, marking the largest nuclear uprates ever supported by a corporate customer in the United States, according to Pennsylvania officials who said the agreement underscores the importance of Beaver Valley as a cornerstone of the state’s energy and economic future.
“The Beaver Valley Nuclear Plant has been a trusted source of affordable, reliable power since 1976,” said state Rep. Josh Kail (R-Beaver Co./Washington Co.). “Extending its operating license will secure over 750 high-quality jobs for decades, ensuring long-term economic stability for Beaver County and beyond. This is a major win for western Pennsylvania.”
Under the agreements, Meta will purchase 2,176 MW of power from Vistra’s operating Perry and Davis-Besse plants in Ohio, along with an additional 433 MW generated through equipment upgrades — known as uprates — at all three facilities, including Beaver Valley.
More than 15 percent of the contracted capacity will come from new generation added to the PJM Interconnection regional grid.
The electricity will continue to flow into the regional grid, serving all customers, while providing Vistra with the financial certainty to reinvest in its nuclear fleet and pursue extended operating licenses.
“This agreement reinforces Pennsylvania’s leadership in clean, reliable nuclear power,” said U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick (R-PA). “It will support Pennsylvania’s workers, unlock new capacity to meet rising electricity demand, and help power economic growth and development across Beaver County and our commonwealth.”
Vistra President and CEO Jim Burke said the Pennsylvania agreement ensures the long-term operation of Beaver Valley and the company’s other nuclear plants while enabling new investment.
“This commitment from Meta provides Vistra the certainty needed to invest in these plants and communities and bring new nuclear generation online for the grid — through uprates at our existing plants,” Burke said.
Meta’s head of global energy, Urvi Parekh, said the company is turning to nuclear power to support its growing energy needs, including those driven by artificial intelligence.
“By supporting nuclear power, we ensure that our operations — and the communities we serve — benefit from energy solutions that drive both technological progress and economic growth,” Parekh said.
Vistra said Meta’s purchases will begin in late 2026, with additional capacity added through 2034, when the full 2,609 MW will be online.
All three plants have already received initial license renewals from the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Beaver Valley Unit 1 is currently licensed through 2036 and Unit 2 through 2047. Vistra said the new PPAs give it confidence to pursue subsequent license renewals that could extend operations at each reactor by an additional 20 years, the company said.
Local leaders also said that the economic impact around Beaver Valley will extend well beyond the plant’s gates.
The facility already provides more than 750 permanent jobs, and Vistra estimates that uprate projects across the fleet could create about 3,000 project-related jobs over the next nine years.
“Beaver Valley has delivered clean, reliable energy and stable employment for generations,” said state Rep. Rob Matzie (D-Beaver County). “This agreement ensures that tradition continues — without adding costs to taxpayers — while keeping dependable power on the grid and energizing our local economy.”
Beaver Valley, located about 30 miles northwest of Pittsburgh, has a total capacity of 1,872 MW, making it one of the most significant power-generation assets in Pennsylvania and a key pillar of the state’s nuclear energy sector.