Daily Digest — March 21, 2026
SoftBank Announces $33B Data Center and Gas Plant in Pike County, Ohio
SoftBank Energy has announced a $33 billion project combining a 9.2-gigawatt natural gas power plant with a 10-gigawatt AI data center in Pike County, Ohio, according to WBNS 10TV. SoftBank's CEO described it as the largest such facility globally, representing the initial phase of a $550 billion US-Japan Strategic Trade and Investment Agreement.
Federal officials from the Trump administration joined local leaders and SoftBank executives for the announcement, assuring residents the self-powered facility would not increase local electricity bills. Project leaders estimate:
- 35,000 construction jobs at peak
- 2,500 permanent positions once operational
- Operations expected within two years
Construction is reportedly already underway.
Festus, Missouri, and Developer CRG Reach Tentative Data Center Agreement
Festus city leaders and developer CRG have reached a tentative agreement for a $6 billion data center project, as reported by Leader Publications. Mayor Sam Richards announced the framework, which includes an estimated $1.3 billion in property and utility taxes and community benefit payments over 25 years, along with a $45 million community benefit fund over 10 years.
Key terms of the agreement include:
- CRG will not seek real property tax abatement; no cap on city utility taxes
- The city will support CRG's application for partial personal property tax abatement through the Jefferson County Port Authority
- A voluntary buyout program for 12 homes within 1,000 feet of the project site
- CRG assumes full responsibility for energy usage and infrastructure expansion with Ameren
- Water purchased exclusively from the city; no private wells; advanced cooling technologies required
- Developer-funded street and traffic improvements; tree buffer maintained along the ridge near Glenkee/Ashford Place
The project has generated significant public opposition. CRG, the data center development arm of Clayco, previously withdrew a data center plan in St. Charles due to public outcry. The Festus City Council has moved its March 23 work session to Festus High School gymnasium to accommodate expected large crowds. A special meeting for formal approval is scheduled for March 30.
Champaign County Zoning Board Advances 12-Month Data Center Moratorium
The Champaign County Zoning Board of Appeals has voted to advance a proposed 12-month moratorium on large-scale data center development, according to Chambana Today. The decision followed a public hearing in Urbana, Illinois, that drew extensive community input.
The moratorium would temporarily halt new data center projects to allow officials time to study environmental and infrastructural impacts — particularly strain on water and electricity resources — and develop comprehensive regulations. Next steps include:
- Review by the Champaign County Board Environmental Land Use Committee, potentially as early as April 9
- A final vote by the full county board expected later in April
The Prairie Rivers Network has voiced support, stating the pause is needed to develop regulations that hold developers accountable and give communities a greater role in resource decisions.
Genesee County Residents Pack Hearing to Oppose Data Center and $1.46B Tax Break
More than 200 residents and members of the Tonawanda Seneca Nation attended a public hearing in the Town of Alabama, New York, to oppose a proposed data center at the STAMP industrial park, as reported by Investigative Post. Developer Stream U.S. Data Centers, linked to Apollo Global Management, has requested a $1.46 billion tax break package.
Speakers at the five-and-a-half-hour hearing raised concerns including:
- Electricity demand of 500 megawatts and water usage of 20,000 gallons daily
- Noise of up to 65 decibels from 12 backup diesel generators
- Potential reduction in property values
- The cost-per-job ratio of the proposed subsidies
Grandell Logan, a Tonawanda Seneca Nation member, described the project as an "existential threat" to the Nation's Big Woods territory. GCEDC President and CEO Mark Masse defended the project, citing 1,000 annual construction jobs over five years, 125 permanent positions, and over half a billion dollars in fees and sales tax over 30 years. Residents also referenced a proposed three-year state moratorium on data center construction. A final vote by the Genesee County IDA board has not yet been scheduled.
$500M+ Land Deal in Luzerne County Sets Stage for QTS Data Center Campus
Nearly 100 property owners in Salem Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, have collectively sold approximately 1,700 acres for over $500 million to QTS, a Blackstone-owned company, according to FOX56 WOLF TV. The transaction is one of the largest coordinated land deals for data center development in the United States.
The planned campus is expected to house between 12 and 17 data centers, situated near an existing Amazon project and the Salem Nuclear Power Plant. Construction could begin as early as this fall.
