NVIDIA, OpenAI and SB Energy have unveiled plans for an 8 IT-gigawatt AI data center campus at the PORTS-Pike Technology Campus in Pike County, Ohio — one of the largest AI infrastructure builds announced globally. SB Energy, backed by SoftBank, will build, own and operate the facility under a 20-year lease to OpenAI, while NVIDIA has secured exclusive rights to host its compute on the site. The campus spans private and federal land, including ground formerly used for uranium enrichment, and is being developed in partnership with AEP Ohio, the U.S. Department of Energy and the Department of Commerce.
Why It Matters Commercially
The first 800MW phase is expected online in 2028, but reaching the full 8 IT-GW target depends on new power generation — including natural gas plants — that hasn’t yet been built. That gap is the opportunity: power generation developers, grid contractors, natural gas suppliers, and construction firms all sit upstream of a project OpenAI says will create 35,000 construction jobs through 2032. For financiers and advisers, the deal’s scale and complexity — spanning federal land, utility partnerships, and multi-phase buildout — signals a long runway of financing, engineering and regulatory work still to be tendered.
Read the news: https://www.theprojectherald.com/nvidia-openai-sb-energy-ohio-ai-data-centre-project/
Project Details
Key Issues / Risks
Later capacity phases depend on new power generation (including natural gas plants) not yet built. Deal structure — NVIDIA financing its own customer's infrastructure — has drawn scrutiny over "circular" AI financing risk and potential systemic exposure. Community benefit fund figures vary across sources ($80m–$160m) and require verification. Site includes former federal uranium enrichment land, which may carry additional environmental/regulatory review.
What Happens Next
Initial 4.25 IT-GW phase begins deployment in 2028, on partially existing AEP Ohio grid infrastructure; later phases require new power generation, including natural gas plants, to reach the full 8 IT-GW target.
Commercial Opportunity
A gigawatt-scale AI data center campus of this size creates a major buildout pipeline for grid infrastructure, power generation, construction and data center equipment suppliers — OpenAI projects 35,000 construction jobs through 2032 and 2,500 permanent operating roles.
Stakeholder Intelligence
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Procurement & Contract Outlook
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Further Reading & External Sources
Historical Intelligence
Analyst Notes
SB Energy (SoftBank-backed) will build, own and operate the campus under a 20-year lease to OpenAI as exclusive tenant. NVIDIA is exclusive AI compute provider using its DSX AI factory platform. Site includes federal land formerly used for uranium enrichment. $80–160m community benefits fund cited across sources (figures vary by outlet — verify before publishing).