DOE Announces $100 Billion AI Data Center in Kentucky

The United States Department of Energy and a coalition of private partners announced a $100 billion project to develop a gas-powered AI data center campus at the DOE Paducah Site in Kentucky. Scheduled for completion between 2031 and 2032, the campus will support 1.8 GW of compute capacity and 1.8 GW of utility capacity, backed by 4.6 GW of dedicated generation resources. Brookfield Corp will operate the campus, while NextEra Energy Inc will build and own the power components, which include 2 GW of gas generation and 2.6 GW of battery storage.

The project aims to reindustrialize the former Gaseous Diffusion Plant site and is expected to create 8,000 construction jobs and 600 permanent positions. State legislators, including Representatives Randy Bridges and Steven Rudy, praised the development as a generational opportunity for national security and economic growth. Lawmakers noted that the facility will utilize a closed-loop recirculating system to address constituent concerns regarding water usage.

Despite the support from legislators, the office of Governor Andy Beshear stated that the governor had not been briefed by the involved companies or agencies. His office raised questions regarding the project's environmental impact, power requirements, job creation, and tax contributions to the local community.