The Trump administration is accelerating its push to build data centers on federally controlled land — allowing developers and utility companies to sidestep permitting battles and community backlash.
The Energy Department announced Wednesday it is partnering with NextEra Energy, Brookfield and three utilities to build an “artificial intelligence and high-performance computing innovation campus” on portions of DOE’s Paducah Site in western Kentucky, which was built in the 1950s to enrich uranium.
The plans include 2 gigawatts of new natural gas-fired power generation and more than 2½ gigawatts of battery storage. That’s more power than the data center is expected to need, which would allow the generators to deliver power to nearby homes and businesses, according to DOE.