Brookfield, Drax and Radiant partner on £20 billion AI data center project in the UK
Brookfield has partnered with British energy company Drax and cloud infrastructure provider Radiant to develop a gigawatt-scale AI data center campus at Drax Power Station in North Yorkshire, backed by an investment that could surpass £20 billion.
Brookfield is partnering with British power generator Drax and AI infrastructure company Radiant to build a multi-gigawatt AI data center hub at the Drax Power Station in North Yorkshire, England. Total investment in the campus could exceed £20 billion ($27 billion) including AI processors, with plans to eventually surpass 1 gigawatt of capacity. Following initial reports of the project, shares of Drax jumped 8%, according to CNBC.[1][2][3][4][5]
The project is planned to roll out in multiple phases. Phase 1 targets up to 100 megawatts of operational capacity by early 2028, requiring roughly £2.5 billion in funding. A second phase aims to add 500 megawatts between 2028 and 2031, followed by a potential expansion beyond 1 gigawatt in the 2030s.[1][2][4]
The Selby site offers existing grid connections, land, and biomass power generation. While the data center will initially draw power directly from the electrical grid, subsequent phases are slated to hook into the power plant directly to consume on-site biomass-generated electricity. Initial financing is planned through Brookfield's joint venture with Qatar-backed Qai, while Radiant leads development alongside Drax. The project remains in its early stages and still requires regulatory approvals and an anchor tenant.[1]
Key facts
- Brookfield, Drax, and Radiant have partnered to develop an AI data center campus at Drax Power Station in North Yorkshire, England.
- Total investment in the project could exceed £20 billion ($27 billion), including AI chips.
- Phase 1 requires approximately £2.5 billion to deliver up to 100 megawatts of capacity by early 2028.
- Phase 2 targets an additional 500 megawatts between 2028 and 2031, with Phase 3 planning expansion beyond 1 gigawatt in the 2030s.
- Drax shares gained 8% following reports of the project.
- The facility will initially draw power from the grid before connecting directly to Drax's on-site biomass power generation.
- Initial financing is slated to come via Brookfield's joint venture with Qatar-backed Qai, and the early-stage development still requires regulatory approvals and an anchor tenant.
Sources · 5 sources
- WS
Wall St Engine@wallstenginePost on X ·
BROOKFIELD PLANS $27B AI DATA CENTER PROJECT IN THE 🇬🇧 UK Brookfield is partnering with British energy company Drax and its AI infrastructure platform Radiant to develop a massive data center at Drax Power Station in North Yorkshire, England. The project could involve more than £20B ($27B) in total investment, including AI chips, with plans to eventually exceed 1 GW of capacity. The development would take place in phases: • Phase 1: Up to 100 MW operational by early 2028, requiring approximately £2.5B in investment. • Phase 2: An additional 500 MW targeted between 2028 and 2031. • Phase 3: Potential expansion beyond 1 GW in the 2030s. The key advantage is Drax's existing power infrastructure, including its grid connection, land and biomass power generation capacity. Initially, the data center would draw electricity from the grid. Later phases aim to connect directly to the power station, allowing AI infrastructure to access on-site electricity generation. Initial financing would come through Brookfield's joint venture with Qatar-backed Qai, while Radiant would lead development alongside Drax. The project remains in its early stages and still requires regulatory approvals and an anchor tenant.
Open source - AG
AGTP@AGTPinsightsPost on X ·
BREAKING: Drax, Brookfield and Radiant announce a partnership to build GW-scale data centres at Drax Power Station. Total investment could exceed £20bn, with an initial 100MW phase backed by £2.5bn. https://t.co/iz076viWdh
Open source - CN
CNBC@CNBCPost on X ·
Brookfield targets $27 billion AI data center at power station. Energy firm Drax surges 8% https://t.co/vgAhA4VXrb
Open source - TE
Techmeme@TechmemePost on X ·
UK energy company Drax partners with Brookfield and neocloud Radiant to develop an AI data center in North Yorkshire, targeting 100MW of capacity by Q1 2028 (@nicolschwarzk / CNBC) (Visit Techmeme dot com for the link and full context!)
Open source - CB
Crypto BriefingArticle ·
Brookfield targets $27B AI data center at Drax Power Station in North Yorkshire The project could redefine energy infrastructure's role in AI, boosting regional economic growth and setting a precedent for future investments. The post Brookfield targets $27B AI data center at Drax Power Station in North Yorkshire appeared first on Crypto Briefing .
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