The U.S. Department of Energy is partnering with Brookfield Asset Management and NextEra Energy to convert the Cold War-era Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant in Kentucky into a $100 billion artificial intelligence data center complex. The project, slated for completion in 2031, includes a 1.8-gigawatt AI data center supported by a 2-gigawatt natural gas power plant and 2.6 gigawatts of battery storage. This initiative aligns with federal efforts to secure AI superiority over China while continuing a $17 billion environmental cleanup at the 3,550-acre site.
Paducah uranium plant conversion
- ▪The Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant site spans approximately 3,550 acres and shut down in 2013 after its gaseous diffusion process to enrich uranium became obsolete
- ▪The U.S. Department of Energy selected Brookfield Asset Management to develop and operate a $100 billion artificial intelligence data center complex at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant in Kentucky
- ▪The U.S. Department of Energy previously announced similar artificial intelligence data center projects at the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant in Ohio and the Savannah River Site in South Carolina
AI national security priority
- ▪U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright stated on July 29, 2026, that the federal government is transforming former Department of Energy sites to ensure the United States wins the artificial intelligence race
- ▪The Trump administration is prioritizing artificial intelligence superiority over China as a top national security and economic priority
Natural gas power infrastructure
- ▪The new power plant at the Paducah site will support a 1.8 gigawatt artificial intelligence data center campus, with construction expected to be complete in 2031
- ▪NextEra Energy will build and own a power plant at the Paducah site featuring 2 gigawatts of natural gas-fired generation and 2.6 gigawatts of battery energy storage
Cold War site cleanup
- ▪The U.S. Department of Energy projects that cleanup at the Paducah site will be completed in 2065 at an estimated cost of $17 billion
- ▪The Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant is undergoing cleanup, decontamination, and decommissioning after decades of producing fuel for nuclear weapons and power plants
Brookfield NextEra partnership
- ▪The power service agreement for the Paducah project must be approved by state utility regulators, and excess electricity will be delivered to the regional grid
- ▪Brookfield Asset Management, which has over $1 trillion in assets under management, is partnering with NextEra Energy and local utilities for the Paducah project
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