The partnership targets development of more than 1GW of data centre capacity across three phases. Phase 1 aims for up to 100MW of compute capacity, with commercial operations targeted from the first quarter of 2028, using power imported directly from the grid and managed by Drax. Radiant will lead on design, customer engagement and commercialisation, while Drax will lead on land, power integration and planning. A planning application is being prepared, with a public consultation process expected to commence in November 2026. Phase 2 envisions an additional 500MW of capacity between 2028 and 2031, utilising Drax's existing generation capabilities to provide a behind-the-meter distributed energy solution under a long-term power purchase agreement. Phase 3 targets further capacity expansion post-2031 using the same behind-the-meter model.
Brookfield estimates that total potential investment, including semiconductor chips, could exceed £20 billion, with an initial £2.5 billion allocated as part of Phase 1. The progression of Phase 1 remains subject to necessary planning approvals, regulatory and network approvals from Government and relevant agencies, securing an acceptable tenant, negotiation of commercial agreements and each party taking a final investment decision.
Drax Group CEO Will Gardiner said the project could help secure the long-term future of the site and protect hundreds of jobs while maintaining a critical source of the country's energy security. He noted that if constructed in full, the project could become one of the largest data centres in the UK, with the potential to attract billions in inward investment, supporting the north's reindustrialisation and strengthening sovereign AI capability. Brookfield Head of AI Infrastructure Sikander Rashid described the partnership as a major opportunity for the firm's AI infrastructure strategy, adding that the project will create many direct and indirect jobs around the broader Yorkshire area. Qai Chairman and Managing Director Abdulla Al-Misnad said the initiative forms part of the Brookfield-Qai joint venture's international AI infrastructure strategy. Radiant CEO Mahdi Yahya emphasised that designing, building and operating from the UK will give British researchers, startups and enterprises access to frontier compute at home.
In November 2025, Drax signed a Contract-for-Difference agreement with the UK Government to provide approximately 6TWh of biomass generation per year between April 2027 and March 2031, equating to around 30% of total annual baseload output from its 2.6GW of active generation. The agreement includes a mechanism for Drax to request up to 500MW of capacity being used to power a data centre during this period, subject to agreement with the UK Government and the Low Carbon Contracts Company. Drax Power Station's role in supporting UK security of supply, providing low-carbon dispatchable power and critical system services will remain unchanged.
The partners also expect to establish a voluntary community benefits fund developed in consultation with communities around the Drax Power Station site, separate from and additional to any planning obligations and Drax's existing community initiatives. The project underscores a growing trend of repurposing legacy power generation sites for AI compute infrastructure, as demand for data centre capacity continues to surge across Europe and operators seek faster access to power and planning approvals.