DOE Site in Western Kentucky Revitalized with Data Center Campus and Dedicated Energy Project, Creating Jobs and Protecting Residents and Businesses from Costs

PADUCAH, Ky., July 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- A coalition of energy, infrastructure and utility companies today announced a strategic partnership to develop a data center campus at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Paducah Site in Western Kentucky. The $100 billion privately-funded project repurposes land at the former enrichment site into a hub for innovation and energy generation.

Once fully constructed in 2032, the campus will support up to 1.8 gigawatts (GW) of utility capacity and over 1.2 GW of compute capacity — backed by up to 4.6 GW of dedicated generation resources paid for and built specifically for the project, protecting customers from costs and fulfilling President Trump's Ratepayer Protection Pledge.

The partnership coalition includes Brookfield, NextEra Energy, Big Rivers Electric Power Corporation, Jackson Purchase Energy Cooperative and Paducah Power System.

"This new campus helps secure our nation's position as a global leader in innovation," said U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright. "It's difficult to overestimate the importance of this project. The planning and investment by NextEra Energy and Brookfield provides a crucial roadmap for future projects in the United States by revealing the ability to build world leading infrastructure without passing costs on to surrounding communities."

By pairing the Brookfield data center campus with new power infrastructure, the project is designed to strengthen grid reliability across the region while shielding current residential and small-business electricity ratepayers from additional costs. NextEra Energy will add power generation resources in stages as the campus ramps up, ensuring the data center's growing power needs are met by new supply.

The development is expected to create approximately 8,000 construction jobs and 600 full-time operations jobs.

DOE's former enrichment site proved to be the ideal location for largest economic investment in Kentucky's history. 

"We are intently focused on finding ways to put federal land back to use for American taxpayers," said DOE Assistant Secretary for Environmental Management Tim Walsh. "That commitment is at the heart of our office's American Energy Hubs initiative. Our employees are working with urgency to transform legacy sites that played a key role in the prosperity and success of our nation, like Paducah, into hubs for energy and innovation that keep our nation secure and create new jobs and economic opportunities for the region."

Once an essential component of the nation's atomic energy program, the Paducah Site has long contributed to America's energy security. Due to the scale of its previous operations, the site is already equipped with transmission capacity, water infrastructure, fiber connectivity, roads and land ready to support a project of this magnitude. That existing infrastructure significantly accelerates timelines to begin work on the development. 

Following its Request for Offers in November 2025, DOE selected Brookfield to lease land and develop and operate the data center campus at the Paducah Site. DOE also selected NextEra Energy to build and own the dedicated generation resources to power the campus, including up to 2 GW of natural gas and up to 2.6 GW of battery energy storage systems. The project is subject to negotiation and execution of definitive documentation.

Big Rivers Electric Power Corporation will provide wholesale electric service, Jackson Purchase Energy Cooperative will deliver retail service, and Paducah Power System will serve as a community supporter.

The power service agreement with Big Rivers Electric Power Corporation and Jackson Purchase Energy Cooperative will include additional oversight and approval from the Kentucky Public Service Commission.

A word from Bruce Flatt, CEO of Brookfield: 
"Demand for critical infrastructure that accelerates innovation in the U.S. and supports the economy will need to be met with capital, development capabilities, and additional power generation that benefits local communities. The Department of Energy Paducah Site 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. By advancing this project in line with the White House's Ratepayer Protection Pledge, we are ensuring innovation and affordability go hand in hand with creating high-quality jobs, attracting new investment, and strengthening the local economy."

A word from John Ketchum, chairman, president and CEO of NextEra Energy: 
"This project is a proof point for how AI infrastructure should be built in America. The data center will bring its own power, pay for its own power infrastructure and create good-paying jobs for local workers — and in doing so, it will make the local communities stronger. New jobs, new energy resources, a more reliable grid and not a dollar of added cost on an existing customer's electric bill. The Paducah Site has the infrastructure, the capacity and the legacy to support a project of this scale. We are proud to continue moving forward to power it and do our part to help revitalize the region."

A word from Don Gulley, president and CEO of Big Rivers Electric Corporation: 
"Our members count on us to protect them from risk while planning boldly for the future. We believe this project will provide significant benefits to our members without compromising the affordability or reliability of their electricity. The infrastructure investments required for this project will strengthen reliability, open opportunities for new generation resources and position Western Kentucky as a technology leader."

A word from Greg Grissom, president and CEO of Jackson Purchase Energy Cooperative: 
"As a member-owned cooperative, our priority is always the people and communities we serve. Projects like this have the potential to bring meaningful economic development to our region while safeguarding the electricity our members depend on every day. Jackson Purchase Energy is proud to collaborate with our project partners to deliver long-term value for our members and support the region's future."

A word from Cory Hicks, CEO of Paducah Power System: 
"For generations, the Paducah Site has played a critical role in our nation's energy and national security mission — from its Cold War era legacy to decades of supporting America's defense and industrial capabilities. Today, our same site is helping power what many consider the next great national challenge: the race for advanced computing and artificial intelligence. Paducah Power System is proud to support this new mission of national significance while building a strong economic future for this region."

About Brookfield
Brookfield is a leading global investment firm with more than $1 trillion in assets under management headquartered in New York that owns and operates real assets and essential service businesses that form the backbone of the global economy. We invest on behalf of institutions and individuals around the world across infrastructure, energy, private equity, real estate, and credit—sectors critical to supporting economic growth and productivity. With a heritage spanning more than a century and operations in over 30 countries, we deploy long-term, patient capital to build the foundational assets and businesses that power a more connected, resilient, and sustainable future—seeking to build long-term wealth for our clients while delivering strong risk-adjusted returns for our shareholders.
For more information, please visit our website at www.brookfield.com

About NextEra Energy, Inc.
NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE) is the largest electric power and energy infrastructure company in North America and is a leading provider of electricity to American homes and businesses. Headquartered in Juno Beach, Florida, NextEra Energy is a Fortune 200 company that owns Florida Power & Light Company, America's largest electric utility. NextEra Energy and its affiliated entities are meeting America's growing energy needs with a diverse mix of energy sources, including natural gas, nuclear, renewable energy and battery storage. For more information about NextEra Energy companies, visit: www.NextEraEnergy.com, www.FPL.com, www.NextEraEnergyResources.com.

About Big Rivers Electric Corporation
Big Rivers Electric Corporation is a member-owned, not-for-profit, generation and transmission cooperative. It provides wholesale electric power and shared services to three distribution cooperative Member-Owners across 22 counties in western Kentucky. The Member-Owners are Jackson Purchase Energy Cooperative, headquartered in Paducah; Kenergy Corp, headquartered in Henderson; and Meade County Rural Electric Cooperative Corporation, headquartered in Brandenburg. Together, the Member-Owners distribute retail electric power to more than 120,000 homes, farms, businesses, and industries. Big Rivers owns and operates 936 MW of generating capacity from three power stations. The total power capacity is 1,114 MW, including contracted capacity from the Southeastern Power Administration. High-voltage electric power is delivered to the Member-Owners over a system of 1,353 miles of transmission lines and 29 substations. Big Rivers is regulated by the Kentucky Public Service Commission.

About Jackson Purchase Energy Cooperative
Jackson Purchase Energy Cooperative is a non-profit, member-owned rural electric cooperative headquartered in Paducah, Ky., serving more than 23,000 consumer-members in the Western Kentucky counties Ballard, Carlisle, Graves, Livingston, Marshall, and McCracken. Jackson Purchase Energy is regulated by the Kentucky Public Service Commission.

About Paducah Power System
Serving approximately 22,500 customers with a reliability rate of 99.99%, Paducah Power System has been bringing public power to the citizens of Paducah/McCracken County since September 1961, and more recently a robust fiber network that provides critical infrastructure throughout western Kentucky. The municipal system generates wholesale power at the Prairie State Energy Campus and peaking power at its generation plant in Paducah.

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SOURCE Paducah American Energy Hub