New AI Data Center Initiative Announced at Ohio Uranium Site

Sun Mar 22 2026 22:05:17 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The U.S. Department of Energy unveils plans for a 10-gigawatt data center at the former Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant, supported by SoftBank and AEP Ohio.

In a bold move to leverage artificial intelligence, the U.S. Department of Energy has announced a public-private partnership to develop a massive data center at the decommissioned Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant in Piketon, Ohio. This facility will feature its own power supply, including significant natural gas generation. The initiative aims to boost jobs and position the U.S. as a leader in AI technology, but it has faced opposition from locals concerned about the environmental impact of mega data centers. Construction is slated to start this year.

PIKETON, Ohio (AP) — The U.S. Department of Energy on Friday announced a public-private partnership to develop a major data center with its own power supply on the site of a decommissioned uranium enrichment plant in southern Ohio, as it pushes commercial development of artificial intelligence technology.

The Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant in Pike County — now being branded as the “PORTS Technology Campus” — is expected to include a 10-gigawatt data center and up to 10 gigawatts of new power generation, including 9.2 gigawatts of natural gas generation, according to DOE.

The plant was identified last year as one of 16 federal sites where the department could invite technology companies to build data management and storage capacity.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum visited Piketon for the project announcement, along with officials from SoftBank Group and its affiliate SB Energy.

Earlier this month, the initiative drew further attention when President Trump urged tech companies to develop their own power generation infrastructure for electricity-intensive operations. The Ohio project aims to combine on-site and grid-connected power generation, alongside billions in transmission upgrades.

In a statement, Secretary Wright emphasized that the project would “add power generation, create jobs, and ensure the United States wins the AI race.” However, local residents are expressing concerns, with a petition recently filed to ban mega data centers in Ohio.

Ohio currently ranks fifth in the U.S. for data centers, with nearly 200 locations. DOE highlighted collaboration with OpenAI and Oracle on an initiative called Stargate, projected to generate over $500 billion in investment towards AI data infrastructure.

Construction on the Portsmouth project is set to begin this year, promising to make significant contributions to research in areas such as quantum computing and national security.