The U.S. Department of Energy announced a $100 billion private investment to build a massive hyperscale data center in McCracken County, Kentucky.
The U.S. Department of Energy announced a public-private partnership to develop an artificial intelligence and high-performance computing innovation campus at the former Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant. The project, involving developers Brookfield and NextEra Energy, will feature a 1.8-gigawatt data center and two gigawatts of natural gas-fired generation. The administration announced that the project will create 8,000 construction jobs and 600 permanent jobs while strengthening America's energy security. U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright defended the project against Democratic criticism, stating that data centers reduce electricity prices rather than increase them. Kentucky Senate President Robert Stivers expressed support for the development, noting that communities can receive economic benefits without citizens shouldering the burden of infrastructure costs. While some residents, led by Erica Moore, have requested an independent environmental impact study for the Superfund site, Paducah Mayor George Bray suggested that local regulation can provide oversight as the federal government manages the land and partners.