PORTS-Pike Technology Campus
Piketon, Pike County, OH[4][8]Developer: SB Energy, SoftBank[4][6][8]
Also known as PORTS Technology Campus, SB Energy Piketon data center
- Rumored
- Proposed
- Approved
- Under construction
- Operating
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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 capacity | 10 GW [1] 10 GW of data center development capacity per DOE |
|---|---|
| IT load | 8 GW [3] approximately 8 GW-IT per OpenAI |
| Phase 1 capacity | 800 MW [3] first 800 MW expected available in 2028 |
| Site size | 1,016 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 jobs | 35,000 [3] at full build-out |
| Target completion | Six-year buildout through 2032 [3] |
How big is that? Data center sizes compared with football fields and Central Park.
Power
| Utility | AEP Ohio (transmission partner) [1] Utility pages: AEP Ohio · data centers and bills |
|---|---|
| Grid operator | PJM [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 supply | At 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.
Water and power
Water
Not disclosed. No source reviewed gives a water figure for this site. The Census does not estimate one.
Disclosed figures only, each as the cited source states it. Many are projections or permit limits, not metered use. How data center water and power use is measured, and every disclosed figure →
Timeline
Groundbreaking ceremony held [4]
DOE, SoftBank and SB Energy announce 10 GW data center campus and 9.2 GW gas generation at the Portsmouth site [1]
Permit filed with Ohio EPA covering wetlands and stream impacts on private land [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]
Issues are concerns and claims raised by the parties, officials or residents named in the cited sources. They are reported as attributed, not as findings by the Census.
Sources
- FACT SHEET: The Department of Energy is Ensuring Affordable Energy Access in Ohio While Powering the Future of AIU.S. Department of Energy · Mar 20, 2026 · government
- Feds announce huge natural gas plant, data center project in southern OhioThe Statehouse News Bureau · Mar 20, 2026 · news
- OpenAI joins PORTS-Pike projectOpenAI · Aug 17, 2026 · company
- A company's plan for a massive data center complex in Pike County includes private land as wellWOUB Public Media · Jun 15, 2026 · news
- Little talk of 'world's largest' data center planned for southern OhioThe Ironton Tribune · Jul 2, 2026 · news
- Southern Ohio community embraces world's largest AI data centerWKRC Local 12 · Jun 18, 2026 · news
- Trump deal for a $33B gas megaplant in Ohio faces huge hurdlesOhio Capital Journal · Mar 24, 2026 · news
- Pike County commissioners set open house on PORTS ProjectScioto Valley Guardian · Sep 15, 2026 · news
Cite this page
Last updated Sep 23, 2026. Figures may change as records are updated — include the date you retrieved them.
| APA | Data Center Census. (2026). PORTS-Pike Technology Campus. Retrieved from https://datacentercensus.com/dc/ports-pike-technology-campus-piketon-oh |
|---|---|
| MLA | “PORTS-Pike Technology Campus.” Data Center Census, Sep 23, 2026, https://datacentercensus.com/dc/ports-pike-technology-campus-piketon-oh. |
| Link | https://datacentercensus.com/dc/ports-pike-technology-campus-piketon-oh |
Republishing a figure or table? Attribute it to Data Center Census with a link to this page. The underlying data is downloadable as JSON and CSV; the press kit has standing figures and contact details.