Ohio Data Center Intel

Recent Ohio data center news

• Jan 2, 2026

  POWER Digest [January 2026]

  Vattenfall announced on Nov. 10 that it and Industrikraft i Sverige AB signed an agreement to co-invest in small modular reactors (SMRs) at the Ringhals site; Industrikraft will take a 20% stake in project company Videberg Kraft AB and invest SEK 400 million (≈ $42.2 million) to finance early-stage development.

  • Main announcement and project details: The agreement moves the Ringhals SMR project into joint development with Industrikraft (20% stake in Videberg Kraft AB) and Vattenfall; Industrikraft will contribute SEK 400 million for early-stage development plus project management and technology selection support. Vattenfall has shortlisted GE Vernova–Hitachi’s BWRX-300 and the Rolls‑Royce SMR for a 1,500 MW configuration (either five BWRX-300s or three Rolls‑Royce units) and will submit an application for state risk-sharing under Sweden’s state-aid act before selecting a final supplier.
  • Additional factual context and other items in the digest: The World Nuclear Association previewed a 2050 scenario of 1,428 GWe global nuclear capacity; California reported 16,942 MW of battery storage (up 1,200 MW in six months) and joined the Global Energy Storage and Grids Pledge; TotalEnergies signed a 15-year PPA to supply 1.5 TWh from the Montpelier solar farm to Google’s Ohio data centers; China National Nuclear Corp. connected Zhangzhou Unit 2 to the grid (first criticality Nov. 3, 2025; grid connection Nov. 22, 2025).
• Jan 2, 2026

  Episode for January 2, 2026

  The Allegheny Front published a podcast episode highlighting favorite 2025 stories from across Pennsylvania.

  • Main announcement: The episode highlights a 100-acre reforestation project in Erie County led by the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy and the nonprofit Bosland Growth to reclaim former mineland and sell carbon credits, and it reports plans for the recently retired Homer City coal-fired power plant site to be repurposed as a gas-fired power plant and data center, raising questions about electric grid impacts and local community response.
  • Background and other coverage: The episode also reports on the river otter comeback in Western Pennsylvania, coverage of sustainable shopping amid U.S.-China tariffs (thrifting proponents), Trout in the Classroom student releases, and an earth-to-table gardening program for kids with autism; the outlet covers issues across Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia.
• Jan 2, 2026

  Will Ohio EPA allow data centers to dump wastewater into state’s waterways?

  Ohio EPA has extended the public comment period to Jan. 16 as it considers a draft general wastewater permit that could allow new data centers to discharge treated wastewater into state waters.

  • Main action:Ohio Environmental Protection Agency has extended the public comment period to Jan. 16 while evaluating a draft general wastewater permit for new data centers; the draft includes language noting a “lowering of water quality” for certain waters to accommodate development. Key named stakeholders: Bryant Sommerville (Ohio EPA spokesperson), Amy Swank (water quality advocate), and Tony Long (general counsel, Ohio Chamber of Commerce).
  • Background and details: The Ohio EPA says the “lowering” phrase mirrors language in standard NPDES permits for new/expanded discharges; local concern centers on potential contaminants (e.g., anti-corrosive chemicals from HVAC/piping). Critics question why data center builders would need this general permit rather than providing onsite or contracted sewage/wastewater treatment, and the Ohio Chamber urged more time to review the proposal.
• Dec 30, 2025

  Scorecard: Looking Back at Data Center Frontier’s 2025 Industry Predictions

  Data Center Frontier published a 2025 scorecard grading eight data center industry trends and issued verdicts on each, emphasizing that power, cooling, and utility coordination dominated what shaped the industry in 2025.

  • Main announcement: Data Center Frontier released a year-end scorecard evaluating eight core trends with graded verdicts (e.g., “VERDICT: MASSIVE HIT” for power constraints and hyperscale megacampuses; “VERDICT: STRONG HIT” for natural gas bridging supply). The article cites specific figures and deals including estimates that U.S. data center energy use could reach up to 12% of U.S. electricity by 2028 (Congressional Research Service), a reported $120+ billion of AI data center spending shifted off balance sheets (Financial Times), and Alphabet’s $4.75 billion acquisition of Intersect Power to align energy and compute deployment timelines.
  • Background and details: The piece documents operational shifts in 2025—liquid direct-to-chip cooling moved to baseline design assumptions (TrendForce: DLC adoption ~33% in 2025), natural gas and behind-the-meter generation emerged as fast-to-deploy reliability options (ExxonMobil’s 1.5-GW plant plans and CCS pairing), and quantum and immersion cooling progressed technically but remained “Too Early” for broad adoption. It also notes concrete geographic and market examples (record-low primary market vacancy at 1.6% per CBRE; secondary market growth in Central Ohio, Indiana, Louisiana, Utah, Colorado, North Carolina, Tennessee).
• Dec 29, 2025

  DCF Trends Summit 2025 - Beyond the Blueprint: The New Realities of Data Center Investment and Site Selection

  Data Center Frontier hosted a panel session at the DCF Trends Summit 2025 summarizing that power scarcity, entitlement complexity, and community scrutiny are reshaping data center site selection and investment.

  • Main announcement/action: The panel (moderated by Ed Socia of datacenterHawk; panelists Denitza Arguirova of Provident Data Centers, Karen Petersburg of PowerHouse Data Centers, Brian Winterhalter of DLA Piper, Phill Lawson-Shanks of Aligned Data Centers, and Fred Bayles of Cologix) concluded that site selection has become power-first, with developers “chasing power, not square footage,” exploring on-site natural gas generation as a transitional measure, and prioritizing utility partnerships and credibility to secure entitlements. The session recap was published on December 29, 2025 and referenced regional opportunities in Pennsylvania, Alabama, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Minneapolis.

  • Background and details: Panelists noted that entitlement regimes in mature markets (e.g., Loudoun County, Prince William County) now demand higher-quality design, off-site infrastructure contributions, and sustained community engagement; sustainability discussions flagged that delivering more than 100 gigawatts of new capacity from renewables alone is not currently feasible, prompting mixed energy strategies and evolving PPA approaches. The DCF Trends Summit call for speakers for 2026 lists a proposal deadline of Jan. 9, 2026.

• Dec 29, 2025

  Roundup: LNG export deal / Beef prices / Hut 8

  Woodside Energy has signed a binding LNG supply deal with Turkey’s state-owned BOTAS.

  • Deal details: Woodside agreed to supply about 5.8 billion cubic meters of LNG to BOTASfor up to nine years starting in 2030, converting a prior nonbinding agreement; most volumes are expected to come from Woodside’s under-construction Louisiana LNG project, which was approved in April and is slated to start deliveries in 2029 (source: Reuters).
  • Other announcements/background:Jacobs will serve as engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) partner for the $10 billion Hut 8 Louisiana data centre project, in collaboration with Vertiv; J.P. Morgan and Goldman Sachs will underwrite project-level financing expected to cover up to 85% of total costs (source: Construction Drive). Also noted: wholesale filet beef costs are up ~67% from prepandemic levels, with some operators reporting ~40% increases this year, squeezing steakhouses’ margins (source: The Wall Street Journal).
• Dec 29, 2025

  SoftBank to Acquire DigitalBridge for $4 Billion, Doubling Down on AI Infrastructure

  SoftBank Group has announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire DigitalBridge for an enterprise value of approximately $4.0 billion.

  • Deal terms and timing: SoftBank will acquire all outstanding shares of DigitalBridge for $16.00 per share in cash (a 15% premium to the December 26 closing price and roughly a 50% premium to the unaffected 52-week average); the transaction was unanimously approved by DigitalBridge’s board and is expected to close in the second half of 2026, subject to customary regulatory approvals.
  • Background and strategic details: DigitalBridge is a Boca Raton, Florida–headquartered alternative asset manager that manages approximately $108 billion in assets across data centers, fiber networks, cell towers, small cells, and edge infrastructure; the acquisition is positioned to strengthen SoftBank’s AI infrastructure strategy (including participation in Project Stargate, a ~7 gigawatt planned buildout across Texas, New Mexico, and Ohio) and to let DigitalBridge operate as a separately managed platform while providing SoftBank long-duration capital and origination capabilities.
• Dec 27, 2025

  Anonymous money fuels $5 million in attacks on Georgia’s Lt. Gov. Burt Jones

  Georgians for Integrity has spent around $5 million on television ads, mailers and texts attacking Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, alleging self-dealing tied to a major data center project.

  • Main action: The group “Georgians for Integrity” (incorporated in Delaware on Nov. 24) has dumped around $5 million into TV ads, mailers and texts since Thanksgiving; the ads accuse Lt. Gov. Burt Jones of enabling eminent domain to benefit his family’s interest linked to a $10 billion, 11 million sq ft data center development (per DCA filings). The Jones campaign has threatened legal action and calls the ads “fabricated trash.”
  • Background & details: The entity is registered as a nonprofit social welfare organization (can hide donors); paperwork lists an Atlanta mailbox, media buyer Alex Roberts (Park City, Utah) and lawyer Kimberly Land (Columbus, Ohio). The Georgia Republican Party filed a complaint with the State Ethics Commission alleging violations of Georgia campaign finance law; legal context references the U.S. Supreme Court’s Citizens United precedent and commentary from the Campaign Legal Center.
• Dec 26, 2025

  Concerns about Ohio EPA’s data centers draft permit

  Ohio EPA has extended the public comment period to Jan. 16 as it considers fast-tracking a general wastewater permit for new data centers.

  • Main action: The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency extended public comment to Jan. 16 while reviewing a draft general wastewater permit for new data centers that includes language allowing a “lowering of water quality” for waters of the state to accommodate development; the draft raises questions about permitted discharges and chemical contaminants such as anti-corrosive treatments used in HVAC and piping systems.
  • Background and details: State EPA spokesperson Bryant Sommerville said the “lowering” phrase is standard in NPDES permits and is not intended to allow discharges that would adversely impact aquatic life, recreation, or human health; Tony Long, general counsel for the Ohio Chamber of Commerce, said the agency should not rush and requested more time to understand the EPA’s objectives.
• Dec 24, 2025

  10 biggest environmental stories of 2025

  Columbia Insight (Chuck Thompson) published a year-end roundup listing the “10 biggest environmental stories of 2025,” summarizing major events and policy actions affecting the Pacific Northwest and broader U.S. environment.

  • Main summary: The piece catalogs federal rollbacks and regulatory changes (EPA 31 deregulatory provisions, President Trump’s memorandum withdrawing from a 2023 Columbia River salmon-restoration agreement), major weather and disaster events (record floods and drought-driven water shortages), and environmental incidents including Idaho’s copper treatment that left up to 90% invertebrate mortality in treated Snake River stretches.
  • Additional details and timelines: It documents the USDA plan to move the Forest Service Pacific Northwest headquarters to Fort Collins, Colo. (announced July), Washington State House funding cuts to the Gorge Commission for the 2025–27 biennium (27% reduction), data center expansion concerns (271 existing water-using data centers in OR/WA plus proposed new projects), and EPA actions described as the “biggest deregulatory action in U.S. history“ (March announcement of 31 provisions).