JERA, Dell Technologies and RHAELM signed a memorandum of understanding on October 1, 2026, to build an AI data center of up to 400 MW at JERA’s Chiba Thermal Power Station near Tokyo. According to JERA’s announcement, investment across all phases is expected to exceed US$15 billion (2.3 trillion yen), and operations are targeted to begin around 2028.
JERA, Japan’s largest power generator, says the Chiba site “would be the largest single-site AI infrastructure deployment in Japan” and among the largest in Asia. The MoU also sets out a standard framework the three companies intend to reuse at other JERA power stations.
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The Chiba project at a glance
| Item | As stated in the announcement |
|---|---|
| Site | Chiba Thermal Power Station, Chiba, Japan |
| Power capacity | Up to 400 MW |
| Investment | Expected to exceed US$15 billion (2.3 trillion yen) across all phases |
| Operations | Targeted to begin around 2028 |
| Power | Behind-the-meter supply from JERA’s gas-fired generation |
| Compute | Dell AI Factory rack-scale infrastructure |
| Agreement | Memorandum of understanding, signed October 1, 2026 |
Who does what
The release splits the work four ways:
- JERA supplies large-scale, 24/7 power from an operating generation asset and access to land next to its thermal power stations.
- Dell Technologies provides the Dell AI Factory, described as “standardized, rack-scale infrastructure designed for rapid deployment.”
- RHAELM leads project delivery, combining JERA’s power and site with Dell’s compute.
- Apollo Global Management is the strategic investment and financing partner for RHAELM.
Why the power arrangement matters
The plan places compute next to an existing power station and feeds it behind the meter, so the data center takes power from the plant on site rather than through the public grid. JERA presents this as the route to faster capacity deployment, with gas-fired generation backed by its own LNG value chain.
The companies describe Chiba as the first site of a model they intend to repeat at other JERA locations, supporting multi-gigawatt capacity in the 2030s. They also link the project to Japan’s “Watt-Bit Collaboration” policy.
An MoU is a statement of intent, not a final investment decision or construction start. The figures above are targets the companies published on October 1.
Announced AI data-center projects, with owners, capacity and status, are logged in the AI data centers tracker. Other new projects and power deals are in AI data center news.
