Brookfield, NextEra Lead $100B Data Center, Energy Campus at Former DOE Site
A coalition of energy, infrastructure and utility companies plans to invest $100 billion to transform the U.S. Department of Energy’s former Paducah enrichment site in western Kentucky into one of the nation’s largest data center and energy campuses, advancing the growing buildout of AI infrastructure while repurposing federal land.
The privately funded project, led by Brookfield, NextEra Energy, Big Rivers Electric Power Corporation, Jackson Purchase Energy Cooperative and Paducah Power System, is expected to be completed by 2032.
At full buildout, the campus will support up to 1.8 gigawatts of utility capacity and more than 1.2 gigawatts of compute capacity, powered by as much as 4.6 gigawatts of dedicated generation resources constructed specifically for the project.
“This new campus helps secure our nation’s position as a global leader in innovation,” U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said. “The planning and investment by NextEra Energy and Brookfield provides a roadmap for building world-class infrastructure without passing costs on to surrounding communities.”
Project developers said pairing the data center campus with new generation assets will enhance grid reliability while insulating existing residential and small-business customers from higher electricity costs. NextEra plans to add power generation incrementally as computing demand grows.
The development is expected to create approximately 8,000 construction jobs and 600 permanent operations positions.
DOE Assistant Secretary for Environmental Management Tim Walsh said the project reflects the department’s effort to repurpose underutilized federal properties through its American Energy Hubs initiative.
Big Rivers Electric Power Corporation will provide wholesale electricity service, while Jackson Purchase Energy Cooperative will deliver retail power. The project’s power service agreement remains subject to approval by the Kentucky Public Service Commission.
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