NEW YORK, July 15 (Reuters) - Google has agreed to

secure as much as 3 gigawatts of U.S. hydropower in the world's

largest corporate clean power pact for hydroelectricity, the

company said on Tuesday, as Big Tech pursues the expansion of

energy-hungry data centers.

The deal between Google and Brookfield Asset Management ( BAM )

includes initial 20-year power purchase agreements,

totaling $3 billion, for electricity generated from two

hydropower facilities in Pennsylvania.

The technology industry is intensifying the hunt for massive

amounts of clean electricity to power data centers needed for

artificial intelligence and cloud computing, which has driven

U.S. power consumption to record highs after nearly two decades

of stagnation.

Ruth Porat, president and chief investment officer at Google

parent company Alphabet, is expected to discuss the news at an

AI summit in Pittsburgh. U.S. President Donald Trump is

scheduled to attend the event, where $70 billion in AI and

energy investments are expected to be announced.

"This collaboration with Brookfield is a significant step

forward, ensuring clean energy supply in the PJM region where we

operate," Amanda Peterson Corio, Google's head of data center

energy, said in a statement.

Over roughly the last year, Google has struck several

first-of-a-kind power purchase agreements, including for

carbon-free geothermal energy and advanced nuclear. The company

is also working with the country's largest electricity grid

operator, PJM Interconnection, to use AI to speed up the process

of hooking up new power supplies to the grid.

In the latest deal, Google said it has signed an initial

framework agreement with Brookfield, owner of Brookfield

Renewable Partners ( BEP ), which develops and operates

renewable energy plants.

Its two hydropower sites in Pennsylvania will be upgraded

and relicensed as part of the arrangement, the companies said.

Google said it plans to expand the deal eventually beyond

those sites to other parts of the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest.