Trump Administration Partners with SoftBank, AEP Ohio to Transform Ohio Uranium Site into 10-Gigawatt AI Data Center Hub

PIKETON, Ohio — In a sweeping push to bolster artificial intelligence infrastructure and domestic energy production, the Trump administration on Friday announced a landmark $4.2 billion public-private partnership to transform the decommissioned Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant in southern Ohio into a high-capacity data center and power generation hub. The project, branded as the 'PORTS Technology Campus,' will feature a 10-gigawatt artificial intelligence data center paired with up to 10 gigawatts of new power generation—including 9.2 gigawatts of natural gas capacity—marking one of the most ambitious energy and technology initiatives in Appalachian history.

• The $4.2 billion project aims to create thousands of jobs and position the U.S. as a global leader in AI infrastructure.
• SoftBank and AEP Ohio will lead the energy infrastructure buildout, with $33.3 billion in Japanese funding tied to gas generation.
• The initiative aligns with President Trump’s call for tech firms to self-generate power for energy-intensive data centers.
• Located on a former uranium enrichment site, the project could generate excess power for regional grid use.
• Opponents have filed a ballot measure to ban mega data centers in Ohio, citing environmental and financial concerns.

From Enrichment to Data: Reviving Ohio’s PORTS Campus

The Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant, operational from 1954 to 2001, was once a cornerstone of America’s Cold War nuclear program. Decommissioned and placed on the National Priorities List under the Superfund program, the 3,777-acre site has long been a symbol of both industrial decline and environmental remediation challenges in rural Pike County. The DOE’s decision to repurpose the land for a technology campus reflects a broader federal strategy to repurpose contaminated federal sites for economic revitalization—particularly in regions grappling with job losses from traditional industries like coal and manufacturing.

A Strategic Location for AI Infrastructure

Ohio has quietly emerged as a critical hub for data center development, ranking fifth nationally with approximately 200 facilities operated by tech giants including Google, Amazon Web Services, and Meta. The state’s central location, abundant water supply, and relatively affordable energy costs have made it attractive for hyperscale computing. However, the PORTS Technology Campus represents a quantum leap in scale: a single facility requiring as much electricity as a mid-sized city. The DOE estimates the data center alone will consume roughly 10 gigawatts of power—enough to supply 2 million households—while the on-site gas plants will add another 9.2 gigawatts to the grid.

The project’s timing coincides with the Trump administration’s broader push to accelerate AI development. In early March 2026, President Trump convened tech executives at the White House, urging companies to commit to self-generating power for their energy-intensive facilities. The Ohio project exemplifies this directive, with SoftBank and AEP Ohio pledging to invest in both on-site generation and grid upgrades without passing costs to consumers, according to DOE officials.

SoftBank’s Role: From Stargate to Southern Ohio

Japanese conglomerate SoftBank Group Corp., led by billionaire Masayoshi Son, has positioned itself as a linchpin of the U.S. AI infrastructure push. Through its renewable energy affiliate SB Energy, SoftBank is collaborating with AEP Ohio to build the power infrastructure for the PORTS campus. This partnership extends SoftBank’s broader ‘Stargate’ initiative—a $500 billion AI infrastructure program announced last fall in collaboration with OpenAI and Oracle. The Ohio site was explicitly identified as a key location for Stargate’s Midwest expansion, highlighting the state’s strategic importance in the global AI race.

The financial scale of SoftBank’s involvement is staggering. The DOE confirmed that $33.3 billion in Japanese funding—approximately 3.3 trillion yen—is earmarked for the natural gas generation component of the project, tied to the U.S.-Japan Strategic Trade and Investment Agreement finalized in 2025. This agreement, championed by the Trump administration, aims to deepen economic ties between the two nations while reducing U.S. reliance on foreign energy imports.

This project will add power generation, create jobs, and ensure the United States wins the AI race. We are not just building data centers; we are securing America’s technological future.

Energy and Economic Implications for Appalachia

For Appalachia, a region long dependent on extractive industries, the PORTS Technology Campus offers a rare opportunity for economic diversification. Pike County, with a population of just 30,000, has suffered from high poverty rates and outmigration. The project promises thousands of construction and permanent jobs, along with investments in grid modernization. DOE officials have stated that excess power generated at the site will be fed back into the regional grid, potentially lowering electricity costs for residents and businesses.

However, the project has also reignited debates over the region’s energy future. While natural gas is touted as a ‘bridge fuel’ to cleaner alternatives, environmental groups argue that expanding gas infrastructure locks in decades of fossil fuel dependence. The project’s proximity to the Ohio River—an essential water source for the data center’s cooling systems—has raised concerns about thermal pollution and water usage in a region facing increasing drought risks.

Political Backdrop: Trump’s Push for AI and Energy Independence

The announcement comes amid a broader shift in federal energy and technology policy under President Trump. In his 2026 State of the Union address, Trump framed AI and energy independence as twin pillars of American competitiveness. The PORTS project aligns with this vision, combining domestic energy production with high-tech infrastructure to reduce reliance on foreign semiconductor supply chains and cloud computing providers.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum joined SoftBank’s Masayoshi Son and AEP Ohio executives in Piketon for the announcement. Wright emphasized the project’s role in ‘reindustrializing’ the country, while Lutnick framed it as part of a ‘new American manufacturing renaissance.’ The visit was carefully timed to underscore bipartisan support for the initiative, though critics note that the administration’s rapid approval of large-scale energy projects has drawn scrutiny from environmental advocates.

Local Opposition and the Ballot Initiative

The project’s scale has galvanized opposition in Ohio, where a coalition of rural residents and environmental groups filed a petition in early March 2026 to place a constitutional amendment on the November ballot banning mega data centers. The measure, if passed, would require voter approval for any data center exceeding 1 gigawatt of power demand—a threshold the PORTS campus far exceeds. Supporters of the ban argue that unchecked data center growth threatens to overwhelm local utilities, strain water resources, and inflate electricity rates for residents.

Proponents counter that the project includes safeguards, such as the DOE’s pledge to share excess power with the grid and AEP Ohio’s commitment to freeze customer rates. However, opponents point to similar projects in other states, where data centers have led to surging power demand and localized blackouts. ‘We’re not anti-technology, but we are anti-irresponsible growth,’ said Sarah Miller, a farmer and spokesperson for the Ohio Data Center Accountability Coalition. ‘This project is a test case for whether Appalachia will be a sacrifice zone for Silicon Valley’s insatiable energy needs.’

Broader AI Infrastructure Investments and the Stargate Initiative

The PORTS Technology Campus is just one component of a sweeping $500 billion AI infrastructure push led by SoftBank, OpenAI, and Oracle. Known as ‘Stargate,’ the initiative aims to build a network of hyper-scale data centers across the U.S., designed to support the next generation of artificial intelligence models. The Ohio site was selected for its central location, access to fiber-optic networks, and proximity to the Midwest’s growing talent pool in STEM fields.

Stargate’s scale dwarfs previous AI infrastructure projects. For context, the entire global data center market was valued at $250 billion in 2024, according to Gartner. The initiative’s ambition reflects the breakneck pace of AI development, where model training requires exponentially more computational power with each iteration. Meta’s recent ‘Llama 3’ model, for example, required an estimated 10,000 Nvidia H100 GPUs—each consuming up to 700 watts of power. The PORTS campus, with its 10-gigawatt capacity, could theoretically support training of models several orders of magnitude larger.

Environmental and Regulatory Considerations

The project’s environmental impact has drawn scrutiny from regulators and advocacy groups. While the DOE touts the gas plants as a ‘transition energy source,’ critics argue that methane leakage from gas infrastructure could offset any near-term climate benefits. The plant’s location near the Ohio River also raises concerns about thermal pollution, as data centers require vast amounts of water for cooling. A 2023 study by the Pacific Institute found that data centers in the U.S. consumed 660 billion gallons of water annually—a figure expected to triple by 2030 without intervention.

The DOE has committed to conducting an environmental impact statement (EIS) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), a process that could take 12–24 months. However, given the project’s ties to the U.S.-Japan Strategic Trade Agreement, some observers question whether the administration will fast-track approvals. ‘This is a classic case of ‘energy dominance’ meeting ‘AI supremacy,’ said Dr. Emily Carter, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Energy and National Security Program. ‘The question is whether the environmental reviews will be robust enough to withstand legal challenges.’

What’s Next for the PORTS Technology Campus?

Construction on the project is slated to begin later in 2026, with phased completion expected over the next decade. Key milestones include the installation of 9.2 gigawatts of gas-fired generation by 2028, followed by the data center’s full operational capacity by 2030. The DOE has also earmarked funds for research initiatives in fusion energy, quantum computing, and national security applications, positioning the campus as a multi-disciplinary innovation hub.

The project’s success hinges on several factors, including the resolution of legal challenges to the ballot initiative, the stability of natural gas prices, and the ability of local utilities to integrate the new capacity without straining the grid. For SoftBank and AEP Ohio, the financial risks are substantial—the $4.2 billion investment is one of the largest in Ohio’s history—but the potential rewards are equally enormous. If successful, the PORTS Technology Campus could serve as a blueprint for repurposing contaminated federal sites nationwide, while securing Ohio’s place at the heart of America’s AI-driven economy.

A Turning Point for Ohio and the Nation

As the sun set over the quiet hills of Pike County, the announcement in Piketon underscored a moment of reckoning for Appalachia and the nation. The PORTS Technology Campus is more than a data center or a power plant—it is a symbol of the region’s potential to reinvent itself in the 21st century. Whether it becomes a model for sustainable growth or a cautionary tale of unchecked industrialization may well depend on the choices made in the coming years. One thing is certain: the race to build America’s AI future has begun, and Ohio is now at the starting line.

Key Takeaways

• The $4.2 billion PORTS Technology Campus in Ohio will combine a 10-gigawatt AI data center with 9.2 gigawatts of new natural gas power generation, reviving a former uranium enrichment site.
• SoftBank and AEP Ohio are leading the buildout, with $33.3 billion in Japanese funding tied to the gas infrastructure under the U.S.-Japan Strategic Trade Agreement.
• The project aligns with President Trump’s push for domestic AI infrastructure and energy independence, but faces opposition from a ballot initiative seeking to ban mega data centers.
• Ohio’s central location and existing data center ecosystem make it a strategic hub, though environmental and water usage concerns remain unaddressed.
• Construction begins in 2026, with phased completion by 2030, including research initiatives in fusion energy and quantum computing.

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