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On July 15, 2025, Google and Brookfield Asset Management announced the world’s largest corporate clean energy agreement for hydroelectric power, securing up to 3,000 megawatts (MW) of carbon-free electricity across the United States. The deal begins with 670 MW from two Pennsylvania-based facilities—Holtwood and Safe Harbor—under 20-year power purchase agreements (PPAs) valued at $3 billion.
⚡ Key Features of the Hydro Framework Agreement (HFA)
- Capacity: Up to 3,000 MW of dispatchable, carbon-free hydropower
- Initial Sites: Holtwood and Safe Harbor (Pennsylvania)
- Markets Targeted: PJM (Mid-Atlantic) and MISO (Mid-Continent), with flexibility to expand nationwide
- Asset Upgrades: Brookfield will relicense and modernize facilities to extend operational life and grid contribution
🧠 Supporting AI-Driven Energy Demand
The agreement aligns with Google’s strategy to power its operations with 24/7 carbon-free energy, especially as it prepares to invest $25 billion in new data centers across Pennsylvania and neighboring states. These centers will support AI and cloud computing workloads, which are driving record electricity demand.
🗣️ Leadership Commentary
- Amanda Peterson Corio, Head of Data Center Energy at Google: “Hydropower is a proven, low-cost technology, offering dependable, homegrown, carbon-free electricity that creates jobs and builds a stronger grid for all.”
- Connor Teskey, President of Brookfield Asset Management: “Delivering power at scale and from a range of sources will be required to meet the growing electricity demands from digitalization and artificial intelligence.”
🔗 Strategic Implications
- Builds on Google’s recent clean energy deals in geothermal and advanced nuclear
- Supports Brookfield’s ambition to deliver flexible clean energy to the tech sector
- Reinforces Google’s collaboration with PJM Interconnection to deploy AI tools that accelerate clean energy grid integration
The announcement is expected to feature prominently at an upcoming AI summit in Pittsburgh, where Alphabet President Ruth Porat and former U.S. President Donald Trump are scheduled to speak amid broader discussions on $70 billion in AI and energy investments.
