A gigawatt-scale data center campus is planned at a former nuclear enrichment site owned by the Department of Energy (DOE) in Kentucky.

A coalition of companies, including investment giant Brookfield, announced a partnership this week to develop a campus at the DOE’s Paducah site in the state.

At full build-out, the campus could support up to 1.8GW of utility capacity and more than 1.2GW of compute capacity by 2032. The campus would include up to 4.6GW of dedicated generation resources paid for and built specifically for the project.

As well as Brookfield, the coalition includes NextEra Energy, Big Rivers Electric Power Corporation, Jackson Purchase Energy Cooperative, and Paducah Power System.

With $100 billion set to be invested, the campus will reportedly be the largest economic development project in Kentucky’s history.

The companies noted the energy and transmission infrastructure for the project would be paid for by the developers, protecting customers from costs and fulfilling President Trump's Ratepayer Protection Pledge. NextEra Energy will add power generation resources in stages as the campus ramps up, including up to 2GW of natural gas capacity and 2.6GW of battery energy storage.

Bruce Flatt, CEO of Brookfield, said: “Demand for critical infrastructure that accelerates innovation in the US 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 while creating high-quality jobs, attracting new investment, and strengthening the local economy.”

Previously a World War II munitions plant, the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PGDP) was constructed in 1952 to produce enriched uranium, initially for the nation's nuclear weapons program. Located in McCracken County, ten miles (16 kms) west of the city of Paducah, the plant covers 750 acres of a 3,556-acre site. Enrichment operations stopped at the site in 2013, and cleanup operations are ongoing. Uranium enrichment company General Matter is set to use part of the plant to restart enrichment operations, and signed a 100-acre lease with the DOE last year.

The DOE put out a notice offering federal-owned land up for data center development last year. Brookfield was awarded the lease to develop and operate a data center campus, while NextEra was selected to develop the power generation capacity. The site reportedly has transmission capacity and fiber connectivity, as well as water infrastructure.

"This new campus helps secure our nation's position as a global leader in innovation," said US 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."

SoftBank is set to develop a 10GW data center and energy campus at the DOE’s Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant in Ohio.