Google inks $3B deal to buy hydropower from Brookfield

Google has entered into a $3 billion agreement with Brookfield Renewable Energy Partners to purchase carbon-free hydropower, marking a significant step in its efforts to power its expanding data centers sustainably. The initial contracts include 20-year power purchase agreements for 670 megawatts from two hydropower plants in Pennsylvania—Holtwood and Safe Harbor—with plans to source up to 3 gigawatts under a broader framework. These facilities will be relicensed, upgraded, or overhauled to meet the new energy requirements. This deal reflects the growing demand among major tech companies like Google, Meta, Amazon, and Microsoft for reliable, renewable energy to support their rapidly growing data centers, which are critical for AI development and other digital services. Beyond ensuring a stable power supply, such renewable energy agreements help these companies advance their net-zero carbon emissions goals. Google emphasized that hydropower offers a dependable, low-cost, and carbon-free energy source that also supports job creation and grid resilience in the PJM