Brookfield plans $27 billion AI data center at Drax power plant site
Asset manager Brookfield and energy provider Drax have partnered to develop a major AI data center facility in North Yorkshire, aiming for over one gigawatt of capacity.
Brookfield and energy firm Drax Group have entered a joint development agreement to build an artificial intelligence-focused data center on the Drax power station estate in North Yorkshire. This initiative addresses the mounting pressure in Europe to secure sufficient infrastructure and power for large-scale AI deployment.
The project is scheduled to bring 100 megawatts of capacity online by the first quarter of 2028, with an additional 500 MW slated for development between 2028 and 2031. The long-term objective is to exceed one gigawatt of total capacity. Brookfield estimates the total investment for the site, which includes advanced semiconductor infrastructure, to be in excess of £20 billion ($26.8 billion).
Shares of Drax rose 8.2% in early trading following the announcement. The move highlights the strategic shift in the data center sector, where providers are increasingly co-locating facilities with power generation sources to mitigate rising energy costs and land constraints.