Pike County data center would be larger than all others in the world 'combined,' feds say

The federal government has unveiled plans for a massive $33 billion energy project in southern Ohio, specifically at the Portsmouth site in Pike County. The project involves a new natural gas plant and a 10-gigawatt data center, which federal officials and SoftBank's CEO claim will be the largest in the world. Operated by the Japanese company SoftBank, this development also includes an investment from AEP to improve local infrastructure. The site, originally a weapons plant from the 1950s, is now slated to play a pivotal role in the "AI race." SoftBank Energy plans a 9.2 gigawatt natural gas plant to power the data center, with the CEO stating it will be the "center of our super intelligence." This $33 billion initiative marks the first phase of an eventual $550 billion U.S.-Japan Strategic Trade and Investment Agreement. SoftBank and federal officials assert that since the project will generate its own power, it will not raise electricity bills for residents but rather produce "reliable, affordable energy" that drives down local electricity prices. Project leaders anticipate 35,000 construction jobs at its peak and 2,500 permanent jobs upon completion. Construction has already commenced, with the data center expected to be operational within two years.