Major AI Data Center and Power Complex Planned for Former Ohio Uranium Plant
PIKETON, Ohio — The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) unveiled a groundbreaking public-private partnership on Friday to transform a decommissioned uranium enrichment plant into a cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) data center and power hub. The ambitious project, located at the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant in Pike County, is set to become one of the largest data centers in the nation while generating thousands of jobs and bolstering the country’s AI infrastructure.
The initiative, branded as the “PORTS Technology Campus,” will include a massive 10-gigawatt data center alongside up to 10 gigawatts of new power generation. The majority of this energy—9.2 gigawatts—will come from natural gas, supported by a $4.2 billion investment in grid upgrades and new transmission lines. Officials emphasized that these upgrades will not increase electricity costs for consumers.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum were on hand in Piketon for the announcement, joined by representatives from SoftBank Group and its affiliate SB Energy. SoftBank, in collaboration with AEP Ohio, will lead the development of the power generation and transmission infrastructure.
“This project will add power generation, create jobs, and ensure the United States wins the AI race,” Wright said in a statement. Lutnick echoed this sentiment, describing the initiative as part of a broader effort to “reindustrialize the country” through large-scale energy and infrastructure projects.
The Portsmouth project is tied to the U.S.-Japan Strategic Trade and Investment Agreement, announced by former President Donald Trump last year. It includes $33.3 billion in Japanese funding earmarked for the natural gas generation component. The initiative also aligns with Trump’s recent call for tech companies to develop their own power generation alongside energy-intensive AI facilities.
The site was selected from a list of 16 federal locations released last year as potential hubs for data management and storage capacity. SoftBank’s involvement extends beyond this project; the company is collaborating with OpenAI and Oracle on “Stargate,” a $500 billion initiative aimed at expanding U.S. data center capacity to support AI development.
While the project promises economic and technological benefits, it has faced pushback from some Ohio residents. Days before the announcement, a group of rural Ohioans filed a petition to place a constitutional ban on mega data centers on the statewide ballot. Critics argue that such facilities pose environmental, financial, and societal risks, joining a growing national debate over the rapid expansion of AI infrastructure.
Despite these concerns, Ohio has become a hub for data centers, ranking fifth in the nation with approximately 200 sites. Tech giants like Google, Amazon Web Services, and Meta have already established significant operations in the state. The Portsmouth project is expected to further cement Ohio’s position as a leader in the data center industry while advancing research in fusion energy, quantum computing, and national security applications.
Construction is slated to begin later this year, with officials projecting the creation of thousands of jobs. Excess power generated at the site will also be fed back into the grid, potentially lowering electricity costs for the region.
— Reported by Nexio News
