Alignment Engine Presents Data Center Plan to Chillicothe Council Amid Moratorium
Alignment Engine presented its proposed "data hall" project in Chillicothe, Ohio, to the Chillicothe Council and public, addressing concerns about water, electricity, noise, and jobs, following the city's enactment of a data center moratorium. The developer aims to reuse former paper mill resources and infrastructure for the development at the Chilpaco site.
Alignment Engine, Inc. presented its plans for a "data hall" on the former Chilpaco paper mill site in Chillicothe, Ohio, to the Chillicothe Council during a review session on September 8th, 2026. This presentation occurred after the city had already passed a moratorium on data centers.
David Stanfill, Chief Technology Officer of Alignment Engine, detailed that the project would be a smaller-scale data center, not a stereotypical mega-facility like one under construction near Columbus. He emphasized that the development would reuse existing paper mill resources and infrastructure, offering 240 local jobs. Stanfill addressed community concerns, stating that noise from the cooling system would be below ambient levels, water for cooling would come from the former mill's wells (Teays Valley aquifer) and be treated before release into Paint Creek, and electricity would be generated by the mill's natural gas turbine, without drawing from the municipal grid.
US Paper Mill LLC, the site owner, clarified they are not formal business partners with Alignment Engine but are leasing a portion of the property. Stanfill also highlighted that the project would contribute to US Paper Mill's environmental controls for a plume and landfill, increase property value, and generate significant local tax revenue through a $740 million equipment purchase, benefiting local schools. While the ASRS facility was previously identified, the actual buildings to be used are shorter ones behind it.