Surprise data center proposal raises questions on permitting, water and power use in Belmont
A proposal for a 2-3 gigawatt data center by EnergiAcres in Belmont County, Ohio, has caught county leaders by surprise. The company claims to be in active planning and permitting, but local officials were not contacted, raising questions about the approval process and resource use. EnergiAcres states it is in a preliminary exploration phase and has not initiated formal discussions.
A significant data center proposal by EnergiAcres for Belmont County, Ohio, with a projected capacity of 2-3 gigawatts, was recently revealed to county leaders, who expressed surprise at the news. The proposal, targeting a Q2 2029 operational date, involves thousands of acres and is reportedly in an active planning and permitting phase.
The revelation occurred during a Belmont County commission meeting when 95th House District candidate Paul Cameron informed commissioners of the project. However, Larry Merry, executive director of the Belmont County Port Authority, stated that his office, which would typically be involved in such a large project, had not been contacted. He emphasized that a project of this scale requires numerous regulatory approvals, often involving local municipalities and environmental permits from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, a process that can take several years.
While Merry is open to data center development, he noted that projects in other areas are addressing concerns about power and water usage. EnergiAcres' website initially detailed the Belmont County location but later removed the mention. In response to inquiries, EnergiAcres Co-founder and Chief Growth Officer Augustine Bui stated the company is in a "preliminary exploration and feasibility phase" in Ohio and has not made final site selection decisions or initiated formal discussions with local leadership.