NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE) has set its sights on a major expansion in power generation to keep pace with the surging needs of data centers across the U.S. The company’s CEO, John Ketchum, recently outlined plans to add 15 gigawatts of new capacity specifically for data center hubs by 2035. He called this target fairly conservative, hinting that current trends in AI demand could push them toward 30 gigawatts or more.
This ambition comes at a time when tech giants are racing to build out infrastructure for artificial intelligence, which guzzles electricity like few other industries. One gigawatt alone can power over 800,000 homes, so 15 gigawatts represents enough juice for millions of households or the backbone for countless AI training runs. NextEra, already the top renewable energy developer in the U.S. through its NextEra Energy Resources arm, plans to draw from a mix of sources: solar, wind, nuclear restarts like the Duane Arnold plant in Iowa tied to a Google deal, and natural gas plants. Ketchum noted they aim for 4 to 8 gigawatts of new gas by 2032, with a pipeline already at 20 gigawatts, reflecting the urgency to build fast since gas plants go up quicker than nuclear.
A key piece of this puzzle is NextEras expanding tie-up with Google Cloud, part of Alphabet Inc. Together, they will jointly develop multiple gigawatt-scale data center campuses across the U.S., starting with sites that pair power plants right next to the facilities. This builds on earlier moves, like the October agreement to revive that Iowa nuclear site via a power purchase contract with Google. Such on-site generation makes sense for hyperscalers facing grid constraints and high costs; Ketchum suggested big tech firms fund their own power to sidestep broader affordability issues. NextEra has similar deals elsewhere, including 2.5 gigawatts of clean energy with Meta across 13 U.S. sites, mostly solar in Texas, New Mexico, and the Midwest, plus storage, set to come online from 2026 to 2028. They are also teaming with ExxonMobil on a 1.2-gigawatt gas plant with carbon capture in the Southeast and exploring up to 8 gigawatts with Comstock Resources in Texas.
The company expects new gas deals for data centers within 12 to 24 months, plus more power purchase agreements like the 11 with one partner totaling over 2.5 gigawatts. This all-of-the-above approach acknowledges that AI will not wait for perfect green solutions; solar needs storage for evenings, nuclear takes time, and gas bridges the gap with emerging carbon tech. Policymakers and utilities watch closely, as hyperscalers procurement shapes interconnection queues and state planning through the decade.
NextEra Energy Resources president Brian Bolster framed it as powering Americas tech growth, creating jobs and tax revenue while driving innovation. As data centers cluster in power-rich spots, expect more such collaborations to balance booming demand with grid stability. This buildout could redefine U.S. energy mixes, proving techs electricity hunger sparks real infrastructure change.
