Trump Administration Plans Massive 10-Gigawatt Data Center and Gas Plant Complex at Former Ohio Uranium Site

Trump officials announce 10-gigawatt data center, gas plants for former Ohio uranium site

The U.S. Department of Energy announced a sweeping public-private partnership with SoftBank and AEP Ohio on Friday to transform a former uranium enrichment site in southern Ohio into a massive artificial intelligence data center and power generation complex. The ambitious project would develop up to 10 gigawatts of capacity at the site, making it one of the largest data center developments ever proposed in the United States. The announcement reflects the Trump administration's push to rapidly expand domestic AI infrastructure and energy production to maintain American competitiveness in the global technology race.

The former uranium enrichment facility, which once played a central role in the nation's nuclear program, has sat largely dormant in recent years. Officials said the site's existing electrical infrastructure and vast acreage make it an ideal location for the enormous power demands of modern AI computing. SoftBank, the Japanese technology and investment conglomerate, has been aggressively investing in AI infrastructure across the United States, and this project represents one of its most significant commitments to date. AEP Ohio, a major regional utility, would help supply the electricity needed to power the sprawling complex.

The development is expected to include natural gas power plants to generate the enormous amounts of electricity required to run the data centers. While the use of gas-fired generation has drawn scrutiny from environmental groups concerned about carbon emissions, administration officials have argued that reliable baseload power is essential for supporting AI workloads that demand constant and uninterrupted electricity. Proponents of the project say it strikes a balance between meeting urgent energy needs and leveraging existing fossil fuel infrastructure.

Officials and local leaders touted the potential economic benefits for southern Ohio, a region that has struggled economically since the decline of its uranium enrichment operations. The project is expected to create thousands of construction and permanent jobs, bringing significant investment to an area in need of revitalization. The partnership underscores a broader national trend of repurposing former industrial and government sites for next-generation technology development, as the race to build AI infrastructure intensifies across the country.