Trump is turning old federal nuclear weapon sites into land for data centers
The Trump administration is launching a major initiative to convert former federal nuclear sites into data centers, beginning with a project in Paducah, Kentucky, developed in partnership with several private companies. This strategy aims to accelerate AI development and job creation but faces growing opposition from environmental groups and local communities concerned about environmental impacts and lack of local input. Similar projects are planned or underway in Ohio, South Carolina, and Nevada.
The Trump administration has launched a significant initiative to repurpose former federal nuclear enrichment sites across the United States for AI data center development, with a flagship project underway at the Department of Energy's Paducah Site in Kentucky. Energy Secretary Chris Wright stated the government is leveraging federal lands to boost power generation, create jobs, and advance the U.S. in the AI race. The Kentucky project, backed by over $100 billion in private investment, is expected to generate 8,000 construction jobs and 600 permanent positions, partnering with firms like Brookfield, NextEra Energy, Big Rivers Electric Power Corporation, Jackson Purchase Energy Cooperative, and Paducah Power System. It will include a new two-gigawatt natural gas power plant designed to create surplus energy for the local community.
Similar conversion plans are being explored, including a 10-gigawatt data center at a former nuclear facility in Piketon, Ohio, and another site in South Carolina. Separately, the Interior Department approved plans in June for a data center on Bureau of Land Management territory near Boulder City, Nevada, marking what is believed to be the first such project on BLM land.
These federal efforts are part of a broader Trump administration strategy to accelerate data center construction to support AI technology and job growth. The administration has urged Congress to preempt state-level AI regulations and has granted exemptions from the Environmental Protection Agency's Acid Rain Program for "islanded" power plants connected solely to data centers.
However, these plans are encountering growing opposition from environmental groups and local communities. Boulder City spokesperson Lisa LaPlante expressed concerns about the lack of community input regarding the Nevada project, calling it "unprecedented." Critics cite issues such as noise, environmental impacts, and tax incentives for data center owners. Jesse Lee, a senior adviser at Climate Power, criticized the administration's push for fossil fuels to power data centers, arguing it will increase utility costs and exposure to pollutants, while complicating the transition to renewable energy.