Constellation will invest in 5.8 GW of power capacity and storage in Maryland (US)

The US energy group Constellation has presented plans to invest in up to 5.8 GW of power generation and storage capacity in Maryland (United States), to meet increasing electricity demand, develop lower-carbon energy resources and reduce utility bills (Constellation press release, 04/11/2025).

In the short term, the group aims to fast-track up to 1.8 GW of projects, including developing 800 MW of BESS capacity and deploying over 700 MW of gas-fired power capacity at six existing power plants in Maryland, which could be later converted to carbon-free hydrogen; Constellation’s proposed options also include extending the operational usefulness of over 350 MW of existing Maryland peaking power plants.

In the longer term, Constellation proposes to invest in up to 4 GW of new and existing nuclear projects: the group will seek to extend the operational life of its nearly 2 GW Calvert Cliffs nuclear power plant (whose two units are currently planned to shut down in 2034 and 2036, respectively) by another 20 years to 2056, to uprate the reactors to add a further 190 MW. In addition, Constellation will explore building 2 GW of new nuclear capacity at Calvert Cliffs. Moreover, Constellation plans to create a 1,000 MW Virtual Power Plant (VPP) on the regional grid.

In July 2025, Constellation Energy received regulatory approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for its previously announced US$16.4bn acquisition of Calpine Corporation, first disclosed in January 2025. The acquisition will create the largest "low emission" power generation company, with nearly 60 GW of capacity, including nuclear, natural gas, geothermal, hydro, wind, solar, cogeneration, and battery storage assets. Calpine currently operates 27 GW of generation capacity, while Constellation Energy Corporation has the largest nuclear fleet in the United States, operating over 32 GW of nuclear, wind, solar, gas-fired and hydropower capacity, enough to power the equivalent of 16 million homes and providing about 10% of the country’s clean energy.