Amid nationwide backlash, an Ohio county welcomes the world's largest AI data center

Pike County, Ohio, is poised to host the world's largest AI data center, a massive $33 billion natural gas-powered plant, and 18 small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) at the former Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PORTS) site. This development contrasts sharply with growing nationwide backlash against AI data centers, which are often criticized for their significant drain on resources, strain on power grids, and potential for noise and pollution.

The project, known as the PORTS Technology Campus, was announced on March 20th with the support of Trump Cabinet members and various elected leaders. U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright highlighted the unprecedented scale of the facility. Japanese investment group SoftBank is providing $1.5 trillion in funding, with SB Energy Co-CEO Rich Hossfeld stating that the construction will generate 35,000 jobs, a welcome economic boost for the economically depressed Appalachian region.

The initiative is particularly embraced in Pike County due to the existing infrastructure at the former PORTS plant, which historically consumed vast amounts of water and electricity—comparable to the needs of the new AI data center. Steve Shepherd, executive director of the Southern Ohio Diversification Initiative (SODI), views the site's repurposing as a "perfect fit." Furthermore, the project offers a unique solution for properties contaminated by the old plant's radioactive legacy. Jennifer Chandler, chair of the Scioto Valley-Piketon Area Council of Governments (COG), notes that several contaminated residential properties have been purchased for the expanding campus, allowing the land to be safely used for industrial purposes under U.S. EPA guidelines. Local leaders hope this project can serve as a model for reindustrializing brownfield sites across the country.