Drax Partners with Brookfield and Radiant for GW-Scale AI Data Centre in UK
Drax Group has entered into a strategic partnership with Brookfield and Radiant to develop a large-scale artificial intelligence (AI) data centre at its power station estate in northern England. The proposed development targets more than 1GW of capacity, with potential investment exceeding £20 billion, including semiconductor chips.
The partnership brings together Drax's power generation and land infrastructure, Radiant's AI infrastructure expertise and investment capital from Brookfield. The project will also involve a Brookfield-Qai joint venture established to support AI infrastructure development.
Three-phase development plan
The first phase will target up to 100MW of computing capacity, with commercial operations expected to begin in the first quarter of 2028. The initial investment could reach £2.5 billion.The electricity needed for the operation of the facility comes directly from the electricity grid with the help of the infrastructure of Drax.
In general, Radiant is responsible for the design and customer engagement of the facility, while Drax is responsible for managing the land and building power integration plans.
The partners intend to secure commitments from anchor customers before construction begins.
Currently, a planning application is being prepared and public consultation is expected to begin in November 2026. The progress is dependent on the receipt of planning approvals, regulatory approvals and network approvals, signing commercial agreements, getting the appropriate tenant, and making final investment decisions.
The second phase aims to add up to 500MW of capacity between 2028 and 2031. This stage is expected to use Drax's existing generation capabilities to supply power directly to the data centre through a behind-the-meter arrangement supported by a long-term power purchase agreement.
A third phase is planned for after 2031, with further capacity additions under consideration. Together, the three phases could establish a data centre with capacity exceeding 1GW.
Existing energy infrastructure to support expansion
Drax Power Station's estate covers more than 1,000 acres and has approximately 4GW of grid access alongside 2.6GW of active dispatchable generation capacity. Its existing cooling systems and proximity to the UK's fibre network are also expected to support the proposed development.
Drax Group CEO Will Gardiner said the partnership could help protect hundreds of existing jobs while creating opportunities for further employment across the wider Yorkshire area. The partners also expect to establish a voluntary community benefits fund in consultation with communities surrounding the site.
The proposed development brings together large-scale energy infrastructure and AI computing capacity, with the partners seeking to establish a significant AI infrastructure presence in the UK.
