In a pioneering move that could redefine how tech giants power their infrastructure, Brookfield Asset Management, along with Brookfield Renewable Partners, on Tuesday revealed a landmark $3 billion-plus hydropower agreement with Google. The deal, touted as a “first-of-its-kind,” is set to generate up to 3,000 megawatts (MW) of clean hydroelectric capacity nationwide.
The initiative is anchored in Brookfield’s Hydro Framework Agreement (HFA) with Google and begins with the Holtwood and Safe Harbor facilities in Pennsylvania, which together currently boast 670 MW of capacity. These two hydro plants are undergoing relicensing, with the aim of breathing new life into legacy infrastructure to support Google’s growing energy demands.
Hydropower Powers the Cloud
“This transaction is not just about electrons — it’s about reliability, scalability, and sustainability,” Brookfield said in a statement, emphasizing the ability to deliver dispatchable carbon-free electricity. In other words, this isn’t intermittent solar or wind — it’s flexible clean power when and where it’s needed most.
Google’s PJM-region operations — part of the mid-Atlantic PJM Interconnection and Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) — will be the first to benefit under 20-year power purchase agreements (PPAs). These long-term contracts guarantee Google clean electricity sourced from the Pennsylvania facilities while safeguarding Brookfield’s existing commitments, such as supplying power to Amtrak from the Safe Harbor site.
