Washington D.C. residents will have the option to power their homes with 100% clean nuclear energy.

This month, Constellation Energy Corporation (CEG) announced a new retail pilot program that will offer clean nuclear energy at 11.99 cents per kilowatt-hour, a lower price than the current local D.C. utility’s supply rate.

“Nuclear energy is the nation’s largest source of carbon-free electricity, providing nearly 20% of the total electricity supply in the United States and about half of its carbon-free energy. It is a reliable, always-on power source, capable of operating around the clock to meet the nation’s energy needs with zero greenhouse gas emissions,” according to a CEG news release.

The program’s announcement comes as Maryland lawmakers push for energy alternatives to the Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project.

The 70-mile project was met with criticism from residents and state leaders, who are concerned about how the line could impact property values, livelihoods, and protected farmland.

In conversation with FOX45, Maryland Sen. Chris West argued the project won’t benefit Maryland. “It may add to the profitability of commercial data centers down in Loudon County, but for Marylanders, it’s only going to bring destruction to their lives and livelihoods,” West said.

During a town hall in November, Mark Aitken, the president of One Media Technologies and senior vice president of advanced technology at Sinclair Broadcast Group, pointed to other energy alternatives, including nuclear-based.

“There’s a myriad of solutions, there’s not just one solution here,” Aitken said, arguing nuclear energy could present additional opportunities to bridge the gap and generate more electricity in-state.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore also criticized the project. “Unless there’s adjustments, I don’t see a plan moving forward,” Gov. Moore told FOX45. “I don’t understand how the study area was pulled together without the level of both state and community involvement that was necessary.”

However, it is unclear whether the governor would support allocating more resources toward investing in nuclear energy. His office has not yet responded to questions about how he plans to address Maryland’s energy needs.

According to data provided by PJM, about 7.8% of Maryland’s in-state generation for 2023 came from wind, solar, and hydro sources. While the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant is operational in Maryland, last year 42.9% of energy generated in-state came from nuclear.

Even though Maryland is producing energy, the state as a whole consumes more energy than it generates, meaning it needs to produce more energy than it currently is.

This isn’t the case only in Maryland. As energy needs grow nationwide, other states and companies are turning to nuclear energy. Last week, Meta announced a request for proposals to identify nuclear energy developers to help meet their AI objectives. “We believe nuclear energy will play a pivotal role in the transition to a cleaner, more reliable, and diversified electric grid,” a Meta press release reads.

“Policymakers, tech companies and even former Miss America and nuclear engineer Grace Stanke, have all embraced this zero-carbon, always-on energy source, and now Washingtonians can too,” Kathleen Barrón, Constellation Chief Strategy and Growth Officer, said in a press release.

Have a news tip? Contact Lori Rampani at lrampani@sbgtv.com.