Trump administration announces $100 billion AI data center project in western Kentucky
The Trump administration announced plans for a $100 billion AI data center project in Paducah, Kentucky, to be built on a former uranium enrichment facility. Brookfield Asset Management and NextEra Energy are involved, with the project including new natural gas-fired power generation. Environmental groups have voiced concerns regarding the potential air quality, climate, and public health impacts, especially given the ongoing cleanup at the site.
The Trump administration, in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Energy, has unveiled plans for a substantial $100 billion artificial intelligence data center campus in western Kentucky. The project is slated for redevelopment on a portion of the federally owned Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant, a Cold War-era uranium enrichment facility that has been undergoing environmental remediation since 2013.
The initiative, which is privately funded, is projected to generate approximately 8,000 construction jobs and 600 permanent positions. Investment firm Brookfield Asset Management is expected to develop and operate the data center, while NextEra Energy will be responsible for building new natural gas-fired power generation and battery storage infrastructure to meet the significant electricity demands of the AI computing facilities. Federal officials anticipate the first phase of construction could commence within a few years, with completion expected by the early 2030s.
Environmental groups have expressed apprehension about the construction of new power infrastructure on a site with ongoing environmental cleanup. They cite potential concerns regarding air quality, climate, and public health impacts. The Department of Energy maintains that redevelopment will proceed concurrently with the environmental remediation efforts. This Kentucky project follows a similar announcement earlier this year for an AI data center campus at another former uranium enrichment site in Piketon, Ohio.