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Brookfield, Drax and Radiant have signed a joint development agreement for an artificial intelligence data center at Drax Power Station in North Yorkshire, with potential investment exceeding £20 billion ($26.8 billion), including semiconductor chips. The plan was reported Tuesday, November 3, by CNBC. The estimate is not money already committed: the partners have yet to make final investment decisions.
Brookfield estimates that the first phase could involve about £2.5 billion of investment. That phase targets up to 100 megawatts of capacity and commercial operations from the first quarter of 2028, using electricity directly from the grid, according to Drax’s announcement.
The agreement sets out a path toward a data center exceeding one gigawatt, rather than announcing a completed facility or an unconditional construction commitment. A second phase has an ambition to add 500 megawatts between 2028 and 2031, with further capacity contemplated after 2031.
The first phase depends on planning permission, regulatory and network approvals, an acceptable tenant, negotiated commercial agreements and a final investment decision by each partner. Drax said a planning application is being prepared and public consultation is expected to begin in November.
Radiant, Brookfield’s UK-headquartered AI infrastructure platform, will lead design, customer engagement and commercialisation, seeking anchor customers before construction starts. Drax will lead land, power integration and planning. Investment capital and operating capabilities are to come through the Brookfield-Qai AI infrastructure joint venture announced in 2025.
The power station estate covers more than 1,000 acres and has roughly four gigawatts of grid access and 2.6 gigawatts of active dispatchable generation, Drax said. The site also has cooling systems and nearby fibre infrastructure. Those existing assets are central to the proposed development, but they do not remove its approval and customer requirements.
Later phases would seek to supply power directly from the station to the data center under a long-term power purchase agreement, subject to necessary consents. This differs from the first phase’s planned use of grid electricity. Drax said the station’s role in supporting UK security of supply and providing system services would remain unchanged.
The partners also expect to develop a voluntary community benefits fund in consultation with local residents, separate from planning obligations and Drax’s existing community programmes. The proposed capacity, spending and timetable remain development targets, not completed investments or guaranteed delivery dates.
JBizNews Desk | North Yorkshire, England
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