OpenAI has entered into an agreement to secure approximately 8 gigawatts-IT at the PORTS-Pike Technology Campus in Pike County, Ohio, in partnership with SB Energy, NVIDIA, and the U.S. Department of Energy.

  • The project is expected to create 35,000 construction jobs during its six-year buildout through 2032 and 2,500 long-term operating jobs.
  • OpenAI will invest $40 million in a community grant fund, building on SB Energy’s previous commitment, while NVIDIA invests $1.5 billion in SB Energy.
  • Approximately 844,000 Ohio college students will receive $100 in Codex credits through ChatGPT during the 2026–2027 academic year.
  • The data center will exclusively host NVIDIA AI compute infrastructure and use closed-loop, air-cooled cooling systems to significantly reduce water demand.
  • SB Energy will build, own, and operate the facility under a 20-year lease to OpenAI, with the first 800 megawatts expected in 2028.

The investment aims to create tangible benefits for Pike County and Southern Ohio, including hundreds of millions of dollars in state and local tax revenue over the project's lifetime.