5 Big Questions About the Massive Pike County Data Center — Answered
OpenAI and SB Energy's massive data center project in Pike County, Ohio, addresses key concerns about electricity consumption and water usage. Developers commit to covering power grid upgrade costs, and the facility will utilize a closed-loop, air-cooled water system. The project is projected to create 35,000 construction jobs and 2,500 permanent positions, alongside significant community investments and tax revenues.
The planned 8-gigawatt data center project at the former Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant site in Pike County, Ohio, is gaining momentum with OpenAI securing computing capacity and SB Energy set to build, own, and operate the facility using NVIDIA technology.
Responding to public concerns regarding electricity consumption, SB Energy has committed to fully covering the costs of necessary grid upgrades and new transmission lines for the project, ensuring these expenses will not be passed on to other Ohio ratepayers. The initial 800 megawatts of capacity are expected by 2028, leveraging existing AEP infrastructure, with later phases requiring new power generation.
Regarding water usage, OpenAI states the PORTS-Pike facility will employ a closed-loop, air-cooled system, designed to minimize water consumption to levels comparable to an office building. The project also plans to utilize the Department of Energy’s existing water system at the site and contribute to new water infrastructure benefiting surrounding communities.
Developers project 35,000 construction jobs over a six-year buildout and approximately 2,500 permanent jobs post-completion, with an emphasis on local hiring and partnerships with trade unions and educational institutions. Additionally, OpenAI will establish a $40 million community grant fund, complementing a prior $40 million commitment from SB Energy, and anticipates hundreds of millions in state and local tax revenue. This project is distinct from Google’s “Project Dazzler” in Scioto County, though both highlight Southern Ohio's emergence as a hub for AI and cloud infrastructure. Future phases of the Pike County project remain contingent on permits, environmental reviews, financing, and new power infrastructure.