Overview
- The Department of Energy confirmed a public‑private partnership to develop a 10‑gigawatt data center at the Portsmouth site in Piketon with up to 10 GW of dedicated generation, including 9.2 GW of natural gas.
- SB Energy/SoftBank and AEP Ohio will deliver the power buildout plus $4.2 billion in transmission upgrades that the companies say will not increase customer bills.
- The initiative includes about $33.3 billion in Japanese funding tied to the natural‑gas component under the U.S.–Japan investment framework.
- Construction is slated to begin this year, with roughly 800 MW targeted by early 2028 and initial gas turbines reported to be installed within a year, with full deployment expected by decade’s end.
- Local pushback surfaced immediately as rural Ohio residents filed a petition to place a constitutional ban on mega data centers on the statewide ballot.