The U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Department of Energy announced a public-private partnership with SoftBank Group and AEP Ohio to redevelop federal land at the Portsmouth Site in Pike County, Ohio into a large-scale AI and energy infrastructure campus. The project includes plans for 10 GW of new power generation capacity and a corresponding 10 GW data center development intended to support advanced AI computing workloads and related research initiatives.
According to the announcement, SB Energy, a SoftBank Group company, plans to build approximately 9.2 GW of natural gas-fired generation as part of the project, alongside broader grid modernization and transmission investments. The initiative also includes a proposed $4.2 billion investment with AEP Ohio to upgrade and expand transmission infrastructure in Southern Ohio. The federal government said the project aligns with the Trump administration’s “Ratepayer Protection Pledge,” under which private-sector partners rather than regulated utility customers would fund the infrastructure upgrades.
The PORTS Technology Campus is expected to support AI infrastructure, advanced computing, quantum computing research, fusion-related initiatives, and national security programs. The site redevelopment also ties into long-running environmental remediation efforts at the former Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant, which historically supported U.S. uranium enrichment operations. Officials said construction could begin later this year.
- Planned infrastructure includes 10 GW of new generation capacity tied to a 10 GW AI-focused data center campus.
- Approximately 9.2 GW of the planned generation capacity would come from natural gas facilities funded through Japanese investment commitments.
- The project includes transmission upgrades intended to strengthen regional grid infrastructure in Southern Ohio.
- Federal agencies framed the initiative as part of a broader effort to secure domestic AI compute capacity and energy availability.
- The redevelopment targets the Portsmouth Site in Pike County, Ohio, a former DOE uranium enrichment complex undergoing environmental cleanup and reuse planning.
- Officials said excess transmission and generation capacity could be made available to the regional grid.
“Our partnership with the Department of Energy strengthens America’s AI leadership, secures the energy and compute needed for the future, and powers the next era of innovation for the United States,” said Masayoshi Son, Chairman and CEO of SoftBank Group Corp.
🌐 Analysis: The Ohio initiative underscores the growing convergence of hyperscale AI infrastructure planning and large-scale power development. The proposed 10 GW campus would rank among the largest AI infrastructure projects announced globally, reflecting how compute demand increasingly drives new generation, transmission, and industrial redevelopment strategies. The project also highlights the accelerating role of natural gas in near-term AI power deployments as utilities and developers confront grid constraints and long interconnection timelines.
🌐 Analysis: The administration’s assertion that the project will not impose costs on consumers will likely face scrutiny from energy economists and regulators. While private entities may initially fund generation and transmission assets, large-scale natural gas development can still influence regional power markets, fuel demand, transmission economics, and long-term electricity pricing dynamics. Similar AI infrastructure projects across the U.S. are already intensifying debates around grid capacity, ratepayer exposure, water consumption, emissions, and the balance between economic development and energy affordability.
