NextEra and Brookfield Plan $100 Billion Data Center Campus at Former Paducah Uranium Enrichment Site in the U.S.

NextEra Energy and Brookfield Asset Management plan to develop a data center campus and supporting power generation facilities with a total investment exceeding $100 billion at a federally owned former uranium enrichment site in Paducah, Kentucky, USA.

The project is located on or near the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Paducah site. According to relevant announcements, the campus is expected to provide over 1.2 gigawatts of data center computing capacity and deliver up to 1.8 gigawatts of power to the grid. The project is scheduled to begin operations in 2028 and reach full development approximately four years later; other information indicates that overall construction is expected to be completed around 2031.

Under the arrangement between the parties, NextEra Energy will develop up to 2 gigawatts of natural gas power generation capacity and up to 2.6 gigawatts of battery energy storage capacity; Brookfield will own and operate the 1.8-gigawatt campus. The project will also involve Big Rivers Electric Corporation, Jackson Purchase Energy Corporation, and Paducah Power System to provide related wholesale and distribution services.

The Paducah site was built in the 1950s, initially used to produce enriched uranium for nuclear weapons, and later converted to produce enriched uranium for nuclear reactor fuel. Gas diffusion uranium enrichment operations at the site ceased in 2013, and environmental cleanup activities are still ongoing. Project representatives stated that, thanks to existing transmission lines, water sources, fiber optics, and other infrastructure conditions, the site has a foundation for rapidly advancing large-scale energy and data center projects.

The U.S. Department of Energy stated that the project is one of the largest investment projects in Kentucky's history, expected to create approximately 8,000 jobs during the construction phase and about 600 jobs after completion and operation. Project representatives also stated that the development will comply with a "taxpayer protection commitment," ensuring that data center construction and users do not shift energy costs to residential customers.

Currently, the project still requires further negotiation and the signing of final documents.