Data Center Census

Piketon, Pike County, OH

PORTS-Pike Technology Campus

Also known as PORTS Technology Campus, SB Energy Piketon data center

Under constructionGroundbreaking held March 2026; Ohio EPA wetlands/stream permit for private-land portion pending as of June 2026
  1. Rumored
  2. Proposed
  3. Approved
  4. Under construction
  5. Operating

SB Energy, a SoftBank Group subsidiary, is developing a roughly 10 GW AI data center campus on federal land at the former Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant near Piketon, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy, alongside 9.2 GW of new natural gas generation. OpenAI announced in August 2026 that it will lease the campus for 20 years, with about 8 GW of IT capacity built out through 2032 and the first 800 MW expected in 2028. The developer has also filed permits covering about 1,016 acres of adjacent private farmland.

Key facts

Size & schedule

Planned capacity10 GW [1]
10 GW of data center development capacity per DOE
IT load8 GW [3]
approximately 8 GW-IT per OpenAI
Phase 1 capacity800 MW [3]
first 800 MW expected available in 2028
Site size1,016 acres [4]
private farmland north and east of the former A-plant, in addition to federal land; the Portsmouth site covers about 3,700 acres [5]
Stated investment$10 billion [2]
SB Energy's initial data center investment; $33.3 billion separately for 9.2 GW of gas generation
Permanent jobs (promised)2,500 [3]
long-term operating positions at full build-out
Construction jobs35,000 [3]
at full build-out
Target completionSix-year buildout through 2032 [3]

Power

UtilityAEP Ohio (transmission partner) [1]
Grid operatorPJM [7]
PJM approval needed to connect the associated gas generation to the grid
Source excerpt
“Grid operator PJM Interconnection has to approve any projects added to the already backlogged grid; just this year, it is starting to review applications filed since 2022.”
Power supplyAt least 9.2 GW of new natural gas generation plus 765 kV transmission lines and four substations [1]

Money & incentives

Tax incentives$40 million community benefits agreement from SB Energy; OpenAI adds a $40 million community grant fund [3]

Figures are as stated by the cited source. Where sources disagree, each figure is shown.

Timeline

  1. Groundbreaking ceremony held [4]

  2. DOE, SoftBank and SB Energy announce 10 GW data center campus and 9.2 GW gas generation at the Portsmouth site [1]

  3. Permit filed with Ohio EPA covering wetlands and stream impacts on private land [4]

  4. OpenAI announces it has joined the project under a 20-year lease, with NVIDIA investing $1.5 billion [3]

Issues raised

  • Residents raised concerns about energy and water demand, backup generator air pollution, and effects on rural landscape [4]
  • Some residents have raised concerns about radioactive contamination from the former enrichment plant; local officials say the land is safe for industrial use [6]

Sources

  1. FACT SHEET: The Department of Energy is Ensuring Affordable Energy Access in Ohio While Powering the Future of AI
    U.S. Department of Energy · Mar 20, 2026 · government
  2. Feds announce huge natural gas plant, data center project in southern Ohio
    The Statehouse News Bureau · Mar 20, 2026 · news
  3. OpenAI joins PORTS-Pike project
    OpenAI · Aug 17, 2026 · company
  4. A company's plan for a massive data center complex in Pike County includes private land as well
    WOUB Public Media · Jun 15, 2026 · news
  5. Little talk of 'world's largest' data center planned for southern Ohio
    The Ironton Tribune · Jul 2, 2026 · news
  6. Southern Ohio community embraces world's largest AI data center
    WKRC Local 12 · Jun 18, 2026 · news
  7. Trump deal for a $33B gas megaplant in Ohio faces huge hurdles
    Ohio Capital Journal · Mar 24, 2026 · news