JERA, Dell, and RHAELM Partner to Build Japan's Largest $15B AI Data Center
Japan's largest power generator JERA has signed a memorandum of understanding with Dell and sovereign AI developer RHAELM to build a 400MW AI data center in Chiba Prefecture. Backed by over $15 billion in funding support from Apollo, the facility is expected to launch in 2028 as Japan's largest single data center site. The facility represents a major leap in Japan's domestic computing capability, directly addressing the severe power constraints facing modern high-density AI clusters. It establishes a scalable infrastructure framework that JERA and RHAELM aim to expand into multi-gigawatt AI capacity throughout the 2030s. The data center will be located next to an existing JERA thermal power station and utilize a behind-the-meter power supply setup. This direct co-location significantly reduces the timeline required for power infrastructure construction and regulatory approval.
## BACKGROUND
Sovereign AI initiatives focus on building national computing infrastructure and data capabilities to minimize strategic reliance on foreign tech providers. At the same time, massive energy demands from AI workloads are pushing operators toward behind-the-meter generation, connecting facilities directly to power plants to bypass bottlenecks in public electric grids.