The site
The site from above
Power
Power and the grid
None energized or contracted yet
New grid-connected gas plant (NextEra)Announced, no air permit application found
up to 2 GW, operational by 2032 per the local announcement; DOE says construction ends in 2031 State agency · July 2026
Battery storage (NextEra)Announced
up to 2.6 GW; developers say operational by 2028 State agency · July 2026
Grid service from Big Rivers Electric and Jackson Purchase Energy CooperativeProposed, no agreement filed
the campus load; the service agreement is not yet filed and needs state approval; excess power would flow to the regional grid State agency · July 2026
Proposed
Getting on the grid
Who supplies what, what it costs, and what is still not public.
- July 29, 2026Power structure announcedBig Rivers would supply wholesale power and Jackson Purchase Energy Cooperative retail service, with Paducah Power System as a community partner only. State agency · July 2026
- Aug. 6, 2026State sets data center rulesA Kentucky executive order requires an energy plan, bars shifting data center costs to other ratepayers and tells regulators to deny permits that harm air or water. News report · Aug. 2026
- Aug. 21, 2026State regulator approves a similar Big Rivers contractFor a different project (482 MW in Hancock County), regulators approved Big Rivers' first large data center service agreement after a five-month review; it is the template Paducah would face. Utility regulator · Aug. 2026
- Not setPower service agreement: not filedThe agreement needs state approval before service, and no case existed as of Oct. 18, 2026. see Permits
- Not setGas plant air permit: none foundNo application from NextEra appears in state air-quality records; only cleanup permits exist at the site. see Permits
- Under the announced structure the generation and storage would exceed the campus's needs, with excess sent to the regional grid and the project bearing its own power costs; final terms are not set. State agency · July 2026
- NextEra itself counts its federal-hub projects at only 50% of nameplate capacity in its backlog figures. News report · Oct. 2026
- The nearby Shawnee coal plant belongs to TVA, which is a neighbor and not the campus's power supplier. State agency · Oct. 2026
- No plant for this campus appears in EIA's federal generator inventory (EIA-860M, Aug. 2026). That inventory covers grid-connected plants only, so an off-grid plant may not be listed yet. State agency · Oct. 2026
What is next door
- 10.20 km · 161 kV substation
- 20.29 km · 161 kV line
- 33.26 km · 500 kV line
- 44.16 km · TVA coal plant
- 59.68 km · gas pipeline
Distances from mapped lines and plants. OpenStreetMap · Oct. 2026
Permits
Permits checklist
2 pending · 1 granted · 4 checked, nothing on file
Approvals a campus like this normally needs, and what we found.
- ◷Land lease of 785 acres PendingU.S. Department of Energy · Oct. 13, 2026: in negotiation; no executed lease announced State agency · Oct. 2026
- ◷Superfund cleanup agreement for the host site PendingEPA, DOE and Kentucky: cleanup runs in parallel and is projected through 2065 State agency · Oct. 2026
- ✓Developer selection for the Paducah Site GrantedU.S. Department of Energy · July 29, 2026: Brookfield for the campus and NextEra for the power plants; about 17 companies offered State agency · July 2026
- –Checked, nothing on file: Power service agreement approval, Air permit for the gas plant, Developer energy plan, Building permits
Risks
What could slow it down
- HighNo signed leaseThe site is federal land, and DOE said on Oct. 13, 2026 that lease efforts continue; the selection is subject to definitive documents. State agency · Oct. 2026
- HighPower unfiled and unpermittedThe grid service agreement has not been filed for state approval, and no air permit application exists for the 2 GW gas plant. State agency · Oct. 2026
- HighNo tenant or financingNo customer is named and no financing has closed, though Brookfield says tenant talks are ongoing. News report · Oct. 2026
- MediumState buy-in incompleteThe lieutenant governor was not briefed, and state approvals (utility regulator and environment cabinet) still gate the project. News report · July 2026
- MediumCleanup site and community scrutinySuperfund cleanup runs on the same reservation, and the group Protect McCracken County is demanding an independent environmental review of all projects there. News report · July 2026
Money
Money on record
>$100B
announced private investment
DOE and the sponsors' announcement; no financing closed and no definitive agreements signed Company · Oct. 2026
~30%
share of the $100B going to buildings and power
Brookfield spokesman; the rest is tenant equipment, and the CEO framed $100B as a program, not this site alone Company · July 2026
50%
NextEra's haircut on federal-hub capacity in its own backlog
investor materials, Oct. 2026 (press) News report · Oct. 2026
6 years
take-or-pay term in the similar Big Rivers contract approved in Aug. 2026
template for another project (482 MW); Paducah terms are not set Utility regulator · Aug. 2026
Timeline
What happened, and what is due
SitePaper trailConstructionPowerPermitsMoneyLegalUpcoming
- July 2025Site DOE names Paducah among the first four federal sites to host AI data centers and power News report · July 2025
- Nov. 2025Site DOE issues a Request for Offers for the Paducah Site State agency · July 2026
- Jan. 30, 2026Site Offers are due; about 17 companies submit State agency · July 2026
- July 29, 2026Site DOE announces Brookfield and NextEra as the selected developers; no lease is signed State agency · July 2026
- July 31, 2026Site Kentucky's lieutenant governor says she was not briefed and raises water, rate and grid concerns News report · July 2026
- Aug. 6, 2026Permits Kentucky's executive order on data centers takes effect News report · Aug. 2026
- Aug. 21, 2026Power State regulators approve Big Rivers' first large data center contract, for a different 482 MW project Utility regulator · Aug. 2026
- Sept. 10, 2026Permits McCracken County presents a draft growth plan for the data center, power plant and uranium projects (press) News report · Sept. 2026
- Oct. 13, 2026Site DOE says land lease efforts at Paducah continue State agency · Oct. 2026
- 2028Power Battery storage and first data center components expected to run (developers' target) Local government · July 2026
- 2032Construction Full buildout date in the coalition release; DOE says construction completes in 2031 Company · July 2026
Construction activity
Satellite captures by quarter
Since March 2022: 70 satellite captures. The chart starts in the first quarter of 2023; 4 earlier records are not drawn.
Satellite
’23
’24
’25
’26
Dot size: records in the quarter, largest = 5. Two-digit years mark each first quarter.
The buildings
Specs
Under 5 million gal/day
combined water use for the gas plant and the data center (sponsor statement)
~8,000 and ~600 jobs
construction and permanent per DOE; the local utility cites about 3,500 and 500
- Closed-loop cooling: recirculating water, no evaporative draw Company · July 2026
- No construction yet: construction stage is none; the roofs seen from orbit belong to the old enrichment plant State agency · Oct. 2026
Who is involved
Owners, partners and builders
Landowner and selectors
- U.S. Department of Energy: site owner, ran the offer process
- DOE Portsmouth Paducah Project Office: manages cleanup and lease talks
- Greater Paducah Economic Development: local partner
Developers
- Brookfield Asset Management: selected to lease land, build and run the campus
- NextEra Energy and NextEra Energy Resources: selected to build and own the gas plant and batteries
Power providers
- Big Rivers Electric: wholesale supplier
- Jackson Purchase Energy Cooperative: retail supplier
- Paducah Power System: community partner, not a supplier
Decision-makers
- Kentucky Public Service Commission and Energy and Environment Cabinet
- Gov. Andy Beshear and Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman
- McCracken County Fiscal Court
Neighbors and critics
- Protect McCracken County
- Kentucky Resources Council: ratepayer and permitting concerns
- General Matter: uranium enrichment company leasing 100 acres nearby
Still unknown
Open questions
- A signed DOE lease and its terms.
- Any named tenant or closed financing.
- A filed power service agreement and a gas plant air permit.
- Which parcel inside the 3,556-acre site the campus will occupy.
Where this comes from
291 records from 33 documents
Drawn from news reports, public and commercial datasets, state agency records, company statements, securities filings, local government records, utility regulator dockets and satellite captures, each kept with its date and source. The bar shows documents by type.
News report 12Dataset 8State agency 6Company 3SEC filing 2Local government 1Utility regulator 1Satellite 0
Evidence
Every quote behind this page
Grade key: A = the primary record itself (permit, filing, exhibit) · B = a dated official statement · C = news reporting. Map distances are our own measurements on OpenStreetMap and carry no grade. Allegations in lawsuits are marked as such in the quotes.
Power (39)
- Address: DOE Paducah Site (Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant), McCracken County, KY, 10 miles west of the city of Paducah“The Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PGDP) is in McCracken County, Kentucky, 10 miles west of the city of Paducah. The plant is located on a 3,556-acre DOE site”State agency · June 2026 · grade A
- Nearest substation: unnamed (161 kV, United States Department of Energy) - 0.20 kmMeasured on OpenStreetMap map data.
- Nearest power line of 345 kV or more: Marshall Sub TVA to Shawnee Sub TVA 500KV (500 kV, Tennessee Valley Authority) - 3.26 kmMeasured on OpenStreetMap map data.
- Nearest power line of 138 kV: unnamed (161 kV, Kentucky Utilities Company) - 0.29 kmMeasured on OpenStreetMap map data.
- Nearest gas pipeline: TGC Dyersburg Discharge - Line #3 (gas, Trunkline Gas Company, LLC) - 9.68 kmMeasured on OpenStreetMap map data.
- Nearest generation plant: Shawnee Fossil Plant (TVA) - 4.16 kmMeasured on OpenStreetMap map data.
- Interconnection status: No interconnection or service filing identified as of Oct. 18, 2026; power service agreement not yet filed with the KY PSC“The power service agreement remains subject to approval by the Kentucky Public Service Commission”State agency · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- Paper or real: Every headline figure (1,800 MW utility, >1,200 MW IT, 2,000 MW gas, 2,600 MW BESS, >$100B) traces to one announcement package dated July 29, 2026; zero executed documents sit behind any of them (no lease, no“The project is subject to negotiation and execution of definitive documentation”Company · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- electric service agreement approval: not filed, approval required before service; no Paducah docket exists as of Oct. 18, 2026“The power service agreement remains subject to approval by the Kentucky Public Service Commission”State agency · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- Grid operator: MISO (via wholesale supplier Big Rivers Electric Corporation)“BREC will procure the energy and capacity necessary to serve the proposed load through the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, Inc. (MISO) markets”Utility regulator · Aug. 2026 · grade B
- First power: 2028 (initial components)“Related battery energy storage systems with approximately 2.6 gigawatts capacity are anticipated to be operational by 2028. The related data center is anticipated to consume approximately 1.8 gigawatts of power and be operational by 2028”Local government · July 2026 · grade B
- Developer selected: Brookfield (data center campus); NextEra Energy (energy infrastructure)“DOE selected Brookfield to lease land and develop and operate the data center campus, while NextEra Energy will build and own the dedicated generation resources to power it.”Company · July 2026 · grade B
- Utility service: 1,800 MW“the campus will support up to 1.8 gigawatts of utility capacity and over 1.2 gigawatts of compute capacity”Company · July 2026 · grade B
- IT capacity: 1,200 MW“the campus will support up to 1.8 gigawatts of utility capacity and over 1.2 gigawatts of compute capacity”Company · July 2026 · grade B
- On-site generation: 2,000 MW“including up to 2 gigawatts of natural gas and up to 2.6 gigawatts of battery energy storage systems”Company · July 2026 · grade B
- On-site generation: 2,600 MW“including up to 2 gigawatts of natural gas and up to 2.6 gigawatts of battery energy storage systems”Company · July 2026 · grade B
- Power partners: Big Rivers Electric (wholesale); Jackson Purchase Energy Cooperative (retail); Paducah Power System (community partner)“The power service agreement with Big Rivers Electric Power Corporation and Jackson Purchase Energy Cooperative will include additional oversight and approval from the Kentucky Public Service Commission.”Company · July 2026 · grade B
- Name: Paducah AI Data Center Campus (DOE Paducah Site)“DOE announced a landmark partnership with Brookfield, NextEra Energy, Big Rivers Electric Power Corporation, Jackson Purchase Energy Cooperative, and Paducah Power System to redevelop portions of DOE Paducah Site into a data center campus”State agency · July 2026 · grade B
- Aliases: Paducah American Energy Hub; Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant redevelopment“A coalition of energy, infrastructure and utility companies today announced a strategic partnership to develop a data center campus at the U.S. Department of Energy Paducah Site in Western Kentucky”Company · July 2026 · grade B
- Utility service: 1,800 MW“Once fully constructed in 2032, the campus will support up to 1.8 gigawatts (GW) of utility capacity and over 1.2 GW of compute capacity”Company · July 2026 · grade B
- IT capacity: 1,200 MW“Once fully constructed in 2032, the campus will support up to 1.8 gigawatts (GW) of utility capacity and over 1.2 GW of compute capacity”Company · July 2026 · grade B
- Stated campus size: 1,800 MW“deploy up to 2.6 GW of battery energy storage to support a new 1.8 GW artificial intelligence and high-performance computing (HPC) innovation campus”State agency · July 2026 · grade B
- On-site generation: 2,000 MW“NextEra Energy plans to develop 2 gigawatts (GW) of new grid-connected natural gas-fired generation, upgrade existing transmission infrastructure, and deploy up to 2.6 GW of battery energy storage”State agency · July 2026 · grade B
- On-site generation: 2,600 MW“deploy up to 2.6 GW of battery energy storage to support a new 1.8 GW artificial intelligence and high-performance computing (HPC) innovation campus”State agency · July 2026 · grade B
- On-site power technology: natural gas generation + battery energy storage (BESS)“NextEra Energy was selected to build and own the dedicated energy infrastructure that will power the site”State agency · July 2026 · grade B
- Utility: Big Rivers Electric Corporation (wholesale service); Jackson Purchase Energy Cooperative (retail service)“Big Rivers Electric Power Corporation will provide wholesale electric service, Jackson Purchase Energy Cooperative will provide retail electric service, and Paducah Power System will serve as a community partner”State agency · July 2026 · grade B
- Electric service agreement signed: Not executed, no electric service agreement exists; agreement remains subject to KY PSC approval“The power service agreement remains subject to approval by the Kentucky Public Service Commission”State agency · July 2026 · grade B
- Announced: July 29, 2026“The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced a landmark partnership with Brookfield, NextEra Energy, Big Rivers Electric Power Corporation, Jackson Purchase Energy Cooperative, and Paducah Power System”State agency · July 2026 · grade B
- Water use stated: <5 million gallons/day combined (gas plant + data center) gal/day“the data center and natural gas facility are anticipated to use less than five million gallons per day, which is less than 20% of the original use”Company · July 2026 · grade B
- Brookfield CEO Bruce Flatt framed Paducah as the seed of a plan to invest $100 billion in AI infrastructure (program-level), and a Brookfield spokesman estimated ~30% of the $100B would go to data-center and power constr“The Department of Energy Paducah Site will be the seed of our plan to invest $100 billion in AI infrastructure”Company · July 2026 · grade B
- Power plan: hybrid“the project generation and storage capacity would exceed the campus energy needs, allowing excess electricity to be delivered to the regional grid”State agency · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- NextEra investor materials count Paducah among 3 federal-hub selections totaling >20 GW and include federal-hub projects at only 50% of nameplate capacity in backlog/EPS framing, the sponsor itself haircuts the announce“Federal Hub projects included at 50% of nameplate capacity to reflect adjusted EPS contribution profile under fee-based structure”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- ENR industrial lead IR#KY260710 lists the project in planning: data center campus with 2-GW gas plant and 2.6-GW BESS at the former PGDP site; scope mentions cooling towers and standby generators; completion expected 203“NextEra Energy Resources and Brookfield are planning to construct a data center campus with a 2-GW natural gas-fired powered plant and a 2.6-GW battery energy storage system (BESS) at the former Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant site in Paducah”News report · Sept. 2026 · grade C
- Conditions of approval: None issued. State framework that will apply: KY Executive Order 2026-494 (effective Aug. 6, 2026), developer energy plan to the Energy and Environment Cabinet, PSC barred from shifting data-center“Governor Andy Beshear issued Executive Order 2026-494 establishing requirements for data center projects seeking to locate and operate in Kentucky. The order took effect on August 6, 2026”News report · Aug. 2026 · grade C
- Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman said she was not briefed before the Jul 29 announcement and raised water, electricity-rate and grid-reliability questions; AP reporting noted the governor office was not included in discussion“Kentucky Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman, who said she was not briefed on the project before the July 29 announcement, added public concerns about the water system, electricity rates, and grid reliability”News report · July 2026 · grade C
- DOE selection: DOE announced on July 29, 2026 (after a November 2025 Request for Offers) that Brookfield will lease federal land and develop/operate the data center campus at the Paducah Site, and NextEra Energy will bui“Brookfield was selected to lease federal land and develop and operate the data center campus. NextEra Energy was selected to build and own the energy infrastructure intended to serve it.”News report · July 2026 · grade C
- Agreements status: No deal is closed: the project is subject to negotiation and execution of definitive documents, and its power service agreement requires Kentucky PSC approval; no hyperscale anchor tenant has been publ“The project is subject to negotiation and execution of definitive documents, and its power service agreement requires approval from the Kentucky Public Service Commission”News report · July 2026 · grade C
- DOE selected Brookfield (campus) and NextEra (energy) for the Paducah Site on July 29, 2026; the deal is pre-agreement - definitive documents and Kentucky PSC approval of the power service agreement are still outstanding“At full build-out, the campus could support up to 1.8GW of utility capacity and more than 1.2GW of compute capacity by 2032”News report · July 2026 · grade C
- DOE named Paducah one of the first four federal sites (with Idaho National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Savannah River) where it would invite private partners to build AI data centers and generation, the Paducah campus is one“In July 2025, the DOE named Paducah, along with Idaho National Laboratory, the Oak Ridge Reservation, and the Savannah River Site, as the first four federal sites”News report · July 2025 · grade C
Money and contracts (14)
- power service agreement (proposed): termination cancellation No agreement filed or executed, so no term, minimum-take, collateral, curtailment or termination clauses exist to record, compare the approved Big Rivers RESA“The RESA has an initial term of fifteen years following the Construction Completion Date and provides for automatic five-year renewal terms unless terminated in accordance with the agreement”Utility regulator · Oct. 2026 · grade A
- Financing: None closed; no definitive agreements negotiated or executed as of Oct. 18, 2026“The project is subject to negotiation and execution of definitive documentation”Company · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- DOE land lease (selection): termination cancellation No executed lease exists, so no termination, cancellation, restoration or decommissioning clauses are available to record, clause absence is itself the finding findin“The project is subject to negotiation and execution of definitive documentation”Company · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- DOE land lease (selection): conditions precedent Negotiation and execution of definitive documentation required before development; DOE EM confirmed Oct. 13, 2026 that land lease efforts continue (no execution announced) co“They noted that as legacy deactivation and decommissioning and land lease efforts continue, every acre of land remediated creates vital platforms for future industry”State agency · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- DOE land lease (selection): scope Approximately 785 acres of leased land on the Paducah Site acres“The development will sit on approximately 785 acres of leased land on the Paducah Site”State agency · Aug. 2026 · grade B
- Operator: Brookfield“Brookfield, one of the world largest investors in the AI infrastructure value chain, would build, finance, and operate the data center”Company · July 2026 · grade B
- Stated capital cost: >100000000000 USD“The more than $100 billion privately funded investment, one of the largest in Kentucky history, is expected to create approximately 8,000 construction jobs and 600 permanent jobs”State agency · July 2026 · grade B
- Workforce estimate: ~8000 construction jobs; ~600 permanent operations jobs“The more than $100 billion privately funded investment, one of the largest in Kentucky history, is expected to create approximately 8,000 construction jobs and 600 permanent jobs”State agency · July 2026 · grade B
- DOE land lease (selection): status Selected to lease land and develop/operate the campus; lease NOT executed, definitive documentation not yet negotiated or executed status“DOE selected Brookfield to lease land and develop and operate the data center campus at the Paducah Site... The project is subject to negotiation and execution of definitive documentation”Company · July 2026 · grade B
- DOE energy infrastructure selection: scope NextEra selected to build and own the dedicated generation resources: up to 2 GW natural gas + up to 2.6 GW battery storage, added in stages as the campus ramps MW“NextEra Energy was selected to build and own the dedicated energy infrastructure that will power the site”State agency · July 2026 · grade B
- power service agreement (proposed): regulatory approval Agreement will include additional oversight and approval from the Kentucky Public Service Commission; NOT yet filed as of Oct. 18, 2026 (no PSC case exists) condition“The power service agreement with Big Rivers Electric Power Corporation and Jackson Purchase Energy Cooperative will include additional oversight and approval from the Kentucky Public Service Commission”Company · July 2026 · grade B
- power service agreement (proposed): cost allocation Announced structure follows the White House Ratepayer Protection Pledge: project generation/storage exceeds campus needs, excess to regional grid; project bears its own“Consistent with President Trump Ratepayer Protection Pledge, the project generation and storage capacity would exceed the campus energy needs, allowing excess electricity to be delivered to the regional grid”State agency · July 2026 · grade B
- Tenants: None identified, no anchor tenant or customer publicly named“The data center is expected to host computation from America most advanced artificial intelligence companies”Company · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Tenant status: none found“Paducah AI Hub Wins $100B Federal Deal: Power Built In, No Tenant Named”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
Permits and government (15)
- CERCLA / Superfund framework (host site): active, cleanup under FFA runs in parallel with any redevelopment; cleanup projected through 2065“The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency listed the PGDP as a Superfund site on the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1994... The DOE, EPA and the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection entered into a Federal Facility Agreement (FFA) in 1998”State agency · Oct. 2026 · grade A
- KY PSC approved Big Rivers first large-load data-center RESA (Case 2026-00115, TeraWulf/Justified DataPower, Hancock County, 482 MW) after a 5-month suspension and investigation, the procedural path and contract templat“the Commission finds that the proposed RESA contains adequate protections for existing customers, appropriately allocates financial and operational risks, establishes rates that are fair, just and reasonable”Utility regulator · Aug. 2026 · grade A
- only PGDP cleanup permits exist“NextEra Energy plans to develop 2 gigawatts (GW) of new grid-connected natural gas-fired generation”State agency · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- land lease: in negotiation, DOE EM stated Oct. 13, 2026 that land lease efforts continue; no executed lease announced through Oct. 18, 2026“They noted that as legacy deactivation and decommissioning and land lease efforts continue”State agency · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- DOE Office of Environmental Management / Paducah Area Chamber of Commerce delegation: D.C. Fly-In meeting at DOE HQ (90+ Paducah leaders): EM leadership highlights cleanup as the foundation for reindustrialization includ“A delegation with record participation by more than 90 local leaders, elected officials and community stakeholders from Paducah, Kentucky, recently gathered at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) headquarters”State agency · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- U.S. Department of Energy (Paducah Site event): Secretary Wright announces the Paducah American Energy Hub partnership on site (Brookfield campus, NextEra energy, Big Rivers/JPEC/PPS roles)“U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright and Assistant Secretary of Environmental Management Tim Walsh joined industry leaders and local, state and national representatives last week to announce the development of a new American Energy Hub”State agency · Aug. 2026 · grade B
- site solicitation (Request for Offers): closed, offers received Jan 30, 2026; ~17 companies submitted; selection announced Jul 29, 2026“Following DOE Request for Offers issued in November 2025, Brookfield was selected to develop and operate the Paducah data center campus”State agency · July 2026 · grade B
- energy plan (EO 2026-494): not known to be filed, EO 2026-494 requires a developer energy plan to EEC and bars PSC cost-shifting; prerequisite context for PSC and permit review“data center developers must submit an energy plan to the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet demonstrating how the project will meet its energy needs without imposing additional costs on other utility ratepayers”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- McCracken County Fiscal Court: Draft county growth plan presented to coordinate infrastructure and services for anticipated large projects (AI data center, power generation, uranium enrichment); facilitated workshop with“Judge Plummer presented a draft McCracken County growth plan to coordinate infrastructure and services for anticipated large projects (AI data center, power generation, uranium enrichment)”News report · Sept. 2026 · grade C
- McCracken County Fiscal Court: Residents ask the county to require zoning, road protections and an independent noise study for the data center campus“Residents ask county to require zoning, road protections and independent noise study for data center campus”News report · Aug. 2026 · grade C
- McCracken County Fiscal Court: Officials say Paducah site fits the $100B AI data-center plan; county warns of major road and power needs“Officials say Paducah site fits $100 billion AI data-center plan; county warns of major road, power needs”News report · Aug. 2026 · grade C
- Kentucky Executive Order 2026-494 (Gov. Beshear) took effect: data-center developers must file an energy plan with the Energy and Environment Cabinet, the PSC may not shift data-center costs to other ratepayers, EEC must“Governor Andy Beshear issued Executive Order 2026-494 establishing requirements for data center projects seeking to locate and operate in Kentucky. The order took effect on August 6, 2026”News report · Aug. 2026 · grade C
- Opposition: Protect McCracken County (co-founder Erica Moore) demands an independent environmental impact assessment of all DOE-site projects; Kentucky Resources Council (attorney Byron Gary) raises ratepayer cost-alloca“Our biggest concern with all of these projects is that you are doing it on a Superfund site. The ask is very reasonable”News report · July 2026 · grade C
- U.S. DOE / Greater Paducah Economic Development: DOE Artificial Intelligence Industry Day at the Paducah site (co-hosted by GPED; ~75 in-person attendees plus online participants)“Greater Paducah Economic Development told the McCracken County Fiscal Court that the DOE received roughly 17 submissions for AI/data-center work at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant site”News report · Feb. 2026 · grade C
- McCracken County Fiscal Court: GPED briefing: DOE received offers (due Jan 30, 2026) from roughly 17 companies for AI/data-center development at PGDP; partner selection expected soon“saying the Department of Energy received requests for offers on Jan. 30 and that a selection announcement is likely soon”News report · Feb. 2026 · grade C
Legal (1)
- No lawsuit involving the Paducah campus, Brookfield or NextEra over this project was found in web-indexed court/news sources as of Oct. 18, 2026 (opposition is at the advocacy stage only)“A coalition called Protect McCracken County has raised questions about the uranium enrichment and data center projects”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
Site and other (13)
- Acres: 3556 acres (total DOE site)“The plant is located on a 3,556-acre DOE site. The PGDP footprint has more than 500 facilities, 19 miles of roadway, and 5 miles of fence”State agency · June 2026 · grade A
- County code: 21145“buildings: McCracken County County KY (21145)”Dataset · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- Stage: announced only“Brookfield was selected to develop and operate the Paducah data center campus, while NextEra Energy was selected to build and own the dedicated energy infrastructure”State agency · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- Land control status: No land control: DOE selection announced July 29, 2026; lease still in negotiation, DOE EM stated Oct. 13, 2026 that Paducah land lease efforts continue“They noted that as legacy deactivation and decommissioning and land lease efforts continue, every acre of land remediated creates vital platforms for future industry”State agency · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- Acres: 785 acres“The development will sit on approximately 785 acres of leased land on the Paducah Site”State agency · Aug. 2026 · grade B
- DOE announced the Portsmouth (Ohio) American Energy Hub (SB Energy/SoftBank, up to 10 GW) in March 2026 and the Savannah River (Amentum) selection in July 2026, portfolio-level program figures that must not be attribute“The announcement comes on the heels of another energy hub announced at the Portsmouth Site in March, as DOE continues to find opportunities to turn liabilities into assets”State agency · Aug. 2026 · grade B
- Developer: Brookfield (Brookfield Asset Management), selected by DOE to lease land and develop and operate the campus“Following DOE Request for Offers issued in November 2025, Brookfield was selected to develop and operate the Paducah data center campus”State agency · July 2026 · grade B
- Original target date: 2031“Construction is expected to be completed in 2031”State agency · July 2026 · grade B
- Current target date: 2032“Once fully constructed in 2032, the campus will support up to 1.8 gigawatts (GW) of utility capacity and over 1.2 GW of compute capacity”Company · July 2026 · grade B
- Cooling: closed-loop (recirculating)“this data center is expected to use a modern closed-loop cooling system that continuously recirculates the same water”Company · July 2026 · grade B
- Construction stage: not stated“land lease efforts continue”State agency · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Development stage: announced developer selected“Brookfield was selected to lease federal land and develop and operate the data center campus. NextEra Energy was selected to build and own the energy infrastructure”News report · July 2026 · grade C
- Site acres: 785 acres“Approximately 785 acres of leased federal land; a planned 1.8-gigawatt AI and high-performance computing campus”News report · July 2026 · grade C
Imagery and records: Satellite imagery: Maxar via Esri World Imagery Wayback.