E.ON Reviews Former Nuclear Sites for Data Centres, Names None

E.ON is studying whether Germany's shuttered nuclear power plants could host data centres. Chief financial officer Nadia Jakobi disclosed the review on 11 November 2026, after the company's earnings presentation. Technology Org and TechRadar both carried the account. No site, budget, capacity figure or schedule exists yet.

What did Nadia Jakobi actually say?

One sentence carries the whole rationale. Jakobi said: "These former power plants can provide attractive industrial locations and depending on the site, we can use the existing infrastructure, particularly the large grid connection."

Three phrases matter. "Attractive industrial locations" frames the sites as land, not nuclear assets. "Depending on the site" signals that not every location will qualify. "The large grid connection" names the asset that counts.

Jakobi also said E.ON is taking a "first step" with Nvidia to assess viability. That wording is cautious. A first step is a study or conversation, not a supply contract or joint venture.

What does this change for German power and compute?

Not much yet, in cash terms. Germany ended its six-decade nuclear programme in 2023, leaving dozens of inactive sites with heavy electrical infrastructure. Meanwhile, cloud and AI operators across Europe struggle to secure grid connections large enough for new campuses. E.ON's review joins the two problems: old generation sites anchoring new demand.

The strategic signal is real, though. A utility that controls land with serious grid hardware can pitch itself as a landlord for compute, not only a seller of electricity. For a sector that has spent two years complaining about queue times for power, that is a notable shift in positioning, and rivals with legacy generation land may announce similar reviews.

The appeal is concrete:

• Former nuclear sites sit next to substations and transmission lines far larger than a typical industrial park offers.
• They tend to be fenced, guarded and zoned for heavy industry.
• Large parcels near population centres are scarce, and a site with industrial history may face less local resistance than farmland.

The physics may not cooperate. A connection built to export power may not be repurposable for import at the same capacity. That is a technical question for each site and each network operator.

Where could the plan stall?

Dismantling a nuclear plant is a long, regulated process. Parts of a site may stay under licence while other parts clear for reuse earlier. E.ON has not described the status of any specific plant.

A data centre on former nuclear land would still need construction and operating approvals, and neighbours who accepted a power plant may not welcome a different heavy user. Economics can also kill a review: a site poorly placed for fibre, too far from customers or too costly to prepare scores badly on every tenant's checklist.

What is confirmed and what is not?

Everything confirmed concerns intent. Everything unconfirmed concerns execution.

• Confirmed: the review, disclosed 11 November 2026; the "first step" with Nvidia; Germany's 2023 nuclear exit; dozens of inactive sites.
• Not confirmed: any specific site; any investment amount, capacity or schedule.
• Unconfirmed: claims that all eight PreussenElektra sites are included, or that the plan targets "AI factories" specifically. Cited reporting refers to data centres generally.

Why does Nvidia care about a utility's real estate?

Because compute is now limited by electricity as much as by silicon. A buyer of Nvidia hardware needs somewhere to plug it in. Helping partners find powered sites supports chip demand, which explains why Nvidia now appears in energy conversations that would have seemed odd five years ago. Nothing in the reporting describes Nvidia as investor, operator or anchor customer.

What should readers watch next?

Three signals will show traction. A named site would let outsiders assess the grid connection and decommissioning stage. A capacity or investment figure would turn concept into plan. A customer or operator partner would confirm the project is real. Regulatory comment from grid operators and permitting authorities will reveal how much of each existing connection can be reused.

The takeaway: E.ON has opened a door, not walked through it. Sites, money, capacity and dates remain blank.