UK energy company Drax has signed a strategic partnership with Brookfield and Radiant to develop a large-scale artificial intelligence data centre at the Drax Power Station estate in northern England. The project is expected to have the potential to exceed 1 gigawatt (GW) of capacity across multiple development phases.
Announced on November 3, 2026, the partnership brings together Drax’s land and power infrastructure, Brookfield’s investment and operating capabilities, and Radiant’s expertise in AI infrastructure. The project will be developed at the Drax Power Station site, which has approximately 4GW of grid access and 2.6GW of dispatchable generation capacity.
The first phase targets up to 100 megawatts (MW) of data centre capacity, with commercial operations expected to begin in the first quarter of 2028. This phase will use electricity supplied directly from the grid. Drax will lead land, power integration and planning activities, while Radiant will oversee design, customer engagement and commercialisation.
The second phase aims to add up to 500MW of capacity between 2028 and 2031. This development is expected to use the power station’s existing generation capabilities to provide electricity directly to the data centre, subject to the required approvals and agreements. A further phase is planned after 2031, with the potential to expand capacity beyond the initial development.
Brookfield estimates that total potential investment, including semiconductor chips, could exceed £20 billion. The initial investment associated with the first phase is expected to be approximately £2.5 billion.
The project remains subject to planning permissions, regulatory and network approvals, securing suitable customers, commercial agreements and final investment decisions by the partners. A planning application for the first phase is being prepared, and a public consultation is expected to begin in November 2026.
Drax said the project could support the long-term future of the power station site while protecting hundreds of existing jobs and creating additional employment opportunities in the surrounding Yorkshire region.
The partnership reflects growing demand for large-scale computing infrastructure as businesses expand their use of AI. It also highlights the importance of access to reliable electricity and suitable land in developing data centres capable of supporting advanced AI systems.
