Energy Department announces plan to accelerate AI by locating data centers on federal lands

The Energy Department has announced plans to co-locate data centers and new energy infrastructure on agency lands. 

The goal, according to the announcement Thursday, is to accelerate AI development in line with President Donald Trump’s “Unleashing American Energy” executive order. 

The department identified 16 lands managed by the DOE, including national laboratories across the country, as potential sites for these projects. The sites would allow projects to have expedited permitting, and projects could include nuclear power. 

“The global race for AI dominance is the next Manhattan Project, and with President Trump’s leadership and the innovation of our National Labs, the United States can and will win,” Secretary of Energy Chris Wright said. 

The Department issued a request for information seeking input from data center developers, energy developers, and the broader public to further advance this partnership.