In its ongoing race to fuel an ever-expanding network of data centers, Google announced on Tuesday that it has struck a deal worth more than $3 billion to secure carbon-free hydropower from Brookfield Asset Management’s renewable energy division.
Under the agreement, Google will purchase 670 megawatts of capacity from two hydropower plants in Pennsylvania—Holtwood and Safe Harbor—through 20-year power purchase contracts. This initial tranche is part of a broader framework that could eventually scale up to 3 gigawatts of renewable capacity.
The move underscores the intensifying competition among tech giants like Google, Meta, Amazon, and Microsoft, all scrambling to lock in clean, reliable energy to support the data centers driving today’s AI revolution. As artificial intelligence models grow in size and complexity, their electricity needs have skyrocketed, reviving interest in everything from nuclear power to renewables.
Google alone has committed tens of billions to avoid energy shortfalls. Meta recently acquired a nuclear plant, while Microsoft inked a 20-year deal to tap nuclear energy from a facility neighboring the site of a meltdown nearly half a century ago.
Beyond ensuring the lights stay on, these investments are also critical to meeting ambitious net-zero climate targets—even as data center operations increasingly contribute to global carbon emissions.
Brookfield Renewable Partners said the two Pennsylvania hydropower stations will be relicensed, upgraded, or modernized to meet Google’s requirements.
“This collaboration with Brookfield is a significant step forward, ensuring clean energy supply in the PJM region where we operate,” said Amanda Peterson Corio, Google’s head of data center energy. “Hydropower is a proven, low-cost technology, offering dependable, homegrown, carbon-free electricity that creates jobs and builds a stronger grid for all.”
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