Brookfield and Drax plan an SI data center exceeding 1 GW in North Yorkshire
Prepared by Sintelligent with the help of SI. Published in SI: . Updated: .
British researchers and companies could gain domestic computing capacity on the scale needed for frontier models, but the project still needs approvals and an anchor customer.
Drax, Brookfield and its cloud platform Radiant have agreed to jointly develop a computing complex at a power station site in North Yorkshire. The first phase of up to 100 MW is due to come online in Q1 2028, another 500 MW is planned for 2028–2031, and the site is ultimately intended to exceed 1 GW. Brookfield estimates total investment, including chips, at more than £20 billion ($26.8 billion), including £2.5 billion for the first phase. The initial launch depends on planning and grid-connection approvals and on securing a tenant; a final investment decision has not yet been made. The complex will initially draw power from the national grid, with direct supply from Drax expected by the early 2030s.
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