The Department of Energy is moving ahead with plans to permit companies to build AI data centers and new power plants on federal land, using innovative energy technologies such as nuclear reactors, enhanced geothermal systems, fuel cells, carbon capture, energy storage, and on-site solutions to power the data centers.
Proposed sites are located in states such as Texas, Illinois, New Jersey, and Colorado. The memo also indicates that new power plants, including nuclear reactors and carbon-capture projects, could be developed at these locations to generate sufficient electricity for the data centers.
According to the memo, Trump administration officials aim to begin construction by the end of the year and have the data centers operational by late 2027. The DOE plans to formally request feedback from AI companies and developers about the proposal as soon as Thursday, according to a source familiar with the situation.
The memo outlines a list of 16 federal sites that could host AI data centers, power plants, and other infrastructure. Among these are locations involved in nuclear weapons production, such as the Pantex site near Amarillo, Texas, and the Kansas City National Security Campus operated by Honeywell International.
The Trump administration appears determined to move swiftly on the proposal. Once the formal request for feedback is published, companies will have 30 days to respond.
