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DOE Unveils $100B Paducah AI Hub, Gas Plant, Batteries

8/1/2026

Summary

DOE Announces Hub

The Department of Energy announced the Paducah hub will include a 1.8-GW AI data center, a 2-GW gas plant and 2.6-GW battery storage.
Brookfield Asset Management will build and run the data center while NextEra Energy Resources will supply power.
Construction expects about 8,000 temporary and 600 permanent jobs, with completion by 2031.
Governor Andy Beshear said his spokesperson had not briefed him on the project as of July 30, 2026.

Summary

Brookfield Shares Slide

Brookfield’s shares closed at $41.69 on July 29, 2026, down 7.3 percent from $44.98 a year earlier, while the firm manages over $1 trillion in assets, underscoring market wariness about the $100 billion Paducah AI campus.
NextEra Energy owns Florida Power & Light Co., the nation’s largest electric utility.
The coalition cites President Donald Trump’s Ratepayer Protection Pledge, saying excess generation will feed the regional grid and help lower electricity costs for American families and businesses.

History

Historical Context

In August 2005 President George W. Bush signed the Energy Policy Act, which provided tax incentives and loan guarantees—including up to $2 billion cost-overrun support for six nuclear plants and guarantees covering 80 % of project costs. The act also created DOE loan guarantees that spurred regional energy projects. That model underlies Brookfield and NextEra’s $100 billion Paducah campus plan.

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DOE Announces Hub

The Department of Energy announced the Paducah hub will include a 1.8-GW AI data center, a 2-GW gas plant and 2.6-GW battery storage.
Brookfield Asset Management will build and run the data center while NextEra Energy Resources will supply power.
Construction expects about 8,000 temporary and 600 permanent jobs, with completion by 2031.
Governor Andy Beshear said his spokesperson had not briefed him on the project as of July 30, 2026.

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