PADUCAH, KY. — Brookfield (NYSE: BN) has announced plans to develop a $100 billion data center campus in western Kentucky with a partnership coalition. The coalition also includes NextEra Energy Inc. (NYSE: NEE), Big Rivers Electric Power Corp., Jackson Purchase Energy Cooperative and Paducah Power System.
The project will redevelop portions of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Paducah Site, which was originally built in the 1950s to produce uranium for nuclear weapons. The facility, which closed in 2013, also went on to produce enriched uranium for nuclear reactors.
The AI data center campus will support up to 1.8 gigawatts (GW) of utility capacity and over 1.2 GW of compute capacity at full build-out. The project will be backed by up to 4.6 GW of dedicated generation resources.
“This new campus helps secure our nation’s position as a global leader in innovation,” says Chris Wright, U.S. Energy Secretary. “It’s difficult to overestimate the importance of this project.”
The DOE first issued a request for offers for redevelopment of the Paducah site in November 2025.
Brookfield was selected as the developer and operator for the campus, and NextEra Energy was selected to build and own the energy infrastructure, including up to 2 GW of natural gas and 2.6 GW of battery energy storage systems. Big Rivers will supply wholesale electric service, with Jackson Purchase Energy Cooperative and Paducah Power System serving as the retail electric service provider and community partner, respectively.
The service agreement is subject to additional oversight and approval by the Kentucky Public Service Commission.
Construction is scheduled for completion in 2032. According to Brookfield, the development will create 8,000 construction jobs and 600 full-time positions and be the largest economic development project in the history of the Bluegrass State.
“Demand for critical infrastructure that accelerates innovation in the United States and supports the economy will need to be met with capital, development capabilities and additional power generation that benefits local communities,” says Bruce Flatt, CEO of Brookfield. “The [project] will be the seed of our plan to invest $100 billion in AI infrastructure, and we are proud to help unlock that potential through responsible investment and long-term stewardship.”
Headquartered in New York City, global investment firm Brookfield currently has more than $1 trillion in assets under management. The company’s stock price closed on Wednesday, July 29 at $41.69 per share on the New York Stock Exchange, down 7.3 percent from a year ago ($44.98 per share). Brookfield also trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange.
Headquartered in Juno Beach, Fla., NextEra Energy is a Fortune 200 company that owns Florida Power & Light Co., which is billed as America’s largest electric utility provider.
— Hayden Spiess