Energy Giants Plan $100 Billion AI Hub at Legacy Nuclear Site

2026-07-29 companies

Paducah, Wednesday, 29 July 2026.
NextEra and Brookfield are converting a shuttered Cold War uranium facility into a $100 billion AI data center, supplied by 4.6 gigawatts of dedicated power and battery storage.

Announcement of Major Infrastructure Investment

On Wednesday, July 29, 2026, a consortium led by NextEra Energy (NYSE: NEE) and Brookfield Asset Management announced a $100 billion plan to develop a data center campus [1][3]. The project will be located at a former uranium enrichment facility in Paducah, Kentucky [5]. This initiative highlights the accelerating demand for energy-intensive artificial intelligence infrastructure across North America [2]. NextEra Energy, the largest U.S. utility, intends to deliver 2 gigawatts of natural gas-fired power to support the facility [6]. Additionally, the plan includes 2.6 gigawatts of battery storage capacity to ensure grid stability [7]. The combined generation and storage capacity totals 4.6 gigawatts of dedicated power resources [3]. Brookfield will own and operate the 1.8 gigawatt data center campus itself [8].

Repurposing Legacy Infrastructure

The campus will occupy the Department of Energy’s Paducah Site, which was constructed in the 1950s to produce enriched uranium [1]. Originally built for nuclear weapons production, the facility later produced enriched uranium for nuclear reactors before closing in 2013 [5]. The Department of Energy selected Brookfield to lease and operate the site following a Request for Offers issued in November 2025 [4]. Due to its past industrial operations, the site already possesses transmission capacity, water access, and fiber infrastructure that could speed development [6]. Utilizing existing grid connections allows the initiative to leverage high-capacity infrastructure for next-generation enterprise computing demands [2]. This approach aims to transform legacy sites into hubs for energy and innovation that keep the nation secure [4].

Economic Projections and Timeline

The development is projected to generate approximately 8,000 construction jobs during the build phase [4]. Upon completion, the facility is expected to create 600 full-time operations roles for the region [8]. The project is expected to be completed by 2032, marking a significant long-term investment [1]. NextEra stated the project fulfills the Trump administration’s “Ratepayer Protection Pledge” regarding utility costs [5]. This pledge seeks to ensure that companies building and using data centers pay above normal rates so that costs are not passed on to average households [6]. The project remains subject to negotiation and execution of definitive documentation [7].

Strategic Energy Context

Soaring U.S. electricity demand is driving investment in artificial intelligence data centers and other technologies [5]. These technologies are currently straining an aging U.S. electric grid [6]. One gigawatt can power about 750,000 homes, illustrating the scale of power required for such operations [3]. The coalition includes Brookfield, NextEra Energy, Big Rivers Electric Power Corporation, Jackson Purchase Energy Cooperative and Paducah Power System [1]. NextEra Energy will add power generation resources in stages as the campus ramps up [5]. This ensures the data center’s growing power needs are met by new supply rather than existing grid capacity [8].

Sources

Energy Infrastructure Data Centers