Ohio Data Center News

May 21, 2026

Bottlenecks Slowing BEAD: Permits, Locates, Labor, and Materials

Fiber broadband operators said permitting backlogs, locating failures, and rising material costs are adding cost and time to BEAD construction timelines.

Main announcement: Fiber broadband operators reported that permitting backlogs, locating failures, and rising material costs are increasing BEAD build costs and timelines; recommended mitigations include getting six to twelve months ahead of construction and preparing 100% pre-drafted permit documents and one-year blanket permits for faster execution.
Background and details: Programs involved are BEAD ($42.5 billion) and RDOF (roughly $9 billion awarded in 2020); panelists noted specific material price changes such as duct pricing: $0.25/ft (pre-pandemic) → $0.75/ft (during pandemic) → $0.45–$0.50/ft (current), and cited workforce competition from data center developers for specialized fiber-construction labor.

May 20, 2026

Climate Change Solutions - May 19, 2026

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) published its “Climate Change Solutions” newsletter summarizing recent policy updates, events, and briefings.

Main announcements: EESI highlights the release of text for the BUILD America 250 Act by Rep. Sam Graves and Rep. Rick Larsen to reinvest in roadways, public transportation, freight rail, and bridges; the newsletter also reports that the President signed S.1020 (P.L.119-90) extending hydropower construction deadlines. Names and bill identifiers: Sam Graves (R-Mo.), Rick Larsen (D-Wash.), S.1020 / P.L.119-90.
Background and related actions: The newsletter summarizes congressional activity including H.R.1346 (Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act of 2025) on E15 biofuel sales, advancement of the SECURE Grid Act (H.R.7257), and the IOOS Reauthorization Act (S.2126 / H.R.2294); it also promotes EXPO 2026 (June 24, Rayburn House Office Building 2168, 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m., online option) and references EESI briefings and media coverage on data center water use and noise pollution.

May 20, 2026

Why FAST-41 Now Covers AI Data Centers and Copper

The Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council (FPISC) has expanded FAST-41 coverage to include AI-linked developments and granted FAST-41 coverage to Alaska’s Arctic copper and critical minerals project.

Main action: FAST-41 now explicitly covers Artificial intelligence and machine learning and High-performance computing, advanced computer hardware and software; the program has added a QTS Richmond campus (seven buildings, ~3.2 million sq ft) as its first covered data center and QTS reported nearly 4 GW of simultaneous hyperscale deployments.
Background and details: The Arctic project centers on copper supply for substations, transformers, switchgear, and transmission; reported constraints include transformer lead times of 18–24 months, wires/cables up 152% since 2019, switchgear up 77%, NERC projection of +224 GW summer peak demand over the next decade, Wood Mackenzie estimates of 274% and 116% demand increases for generator step-up and power transformers respectively, and regulatory measures such as Michigan’s requirement that DTE Electric use a 19-year take-or-pay structure for large-load customers.

May 19, 2026

Big Fiber’s $250M Signals an AI Dark-Fiber Land Rush

Big Fiber has secured $250 million in financing from Stonepeak and Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) to expand its dark fiber footprint and network capacity.

Main action:$250 million financing from Stonepeak and CDPQ to support greenfield construction and overbuilds of exhausted legacy telecommunications corridors, targeting AI-driven demand in regions including the San Francisco Bay Area, Hillsboro, and Atlanta; funds will expand dark fiber footprint and network capacity for hyperscalers and large-scale data center operators.
Context and details: Analysts and company executives cite extreme route diversity (tri-/quad-versity), rising inference workload demand for dense metro connectivity, and power-rich regions (West Texas, Ohio, Tennessee, Louisiana, Georgia) as drivers; the article notes optical supply chain tightening (CRU Group) and provides traffic multipliers (AI “scale-up” and “scale-out” bandwidth impacts) but does not specify implementation timelines.

May 18, 2026

From Backup to Prime Power: How AI Data Centers Are Bypassing the Grid

Data center developers and suppliers are increasingly adopting onsite prime power generation and expanded backup generator deployments to bypass grid connection delays.

Main action: Data center operators and developers are pursuing on-site prime power (backup generators and engine power plants) to bypass grid congestion and accelerate time-to-power; analysts project more than 35 GW of data center power is likely to be self-generated by 2030 (Omdia), and 27% of data centers are expected to rely entirely on onsite generation for primary power by 2030 (Bloom Energy survey). Key names: Omdia, Wärtsilä Energy, Rolls-Royce, Cummins, Applied Digital; concrete project detail: Wärtsilä supplying 282 MW via 15 × 18V50SG engines for a new Ohio data center.
Background and specifics: Grid constraints drive the shift—LBNL projects data centers will account for 12% of U.S. electricity demand by 2028; equipment and supplier responses include Rolls-Royce investing $75 million (Aiken, SC mtu Series 4000 production) plus $24 million expansion in Mankato, MN, Cummins’ containerized Centum Force offering, and deployment of synchronous clutches (SSS Clutch Company) to enable ancillary grid services and improve generator economics.

May 18, 2026

NextEra Will Buy Dominion Energy in Largest-Ever Electric Utility Deal

NextEra Energy has announced it will buy Dominion Energy in an all-stock deal valued at about $67 billion.

Deal terms and governance: NextEra shareholders will own 74.5% of the combined company and Dominion investors 25.5%; the combined company will trade under NextEra on the NYSE as NEE, own 110 GW of generation capacity, and have a board consisting of 10 NextEra and 4 Dominion directors. The announcement was made on May 18; John Ketchum will serve as chairman and CEO and Robert Blue as president and CEO of regulated utilities.
Financial and operational details: The transaction value is about $67 billion; NextEra reported an enterprise value of about $303 billion (about one-third debt) and Dominion an enterprise value of about $111 billion (about $50 billion in debt). The companies highlighted commitments including bill credits, continued investments in generation, reliability and storm resiliency, and retention of dual headquarters in Juno Beach, Florida and Richmond, Virginia.

May 15, 2026

Phantom Data Centers Didn’t Break the Power Grid—They Proved It Was Already Broken

Tom Bailey (VP of Energy at Flexential) argues that phantom data center interconnection requests have exposed an 80-year failure in U.S. grid planning and capacity investment.

Main announcement/claim: The article asserts that phantom data centers—queue positions secured by developers, brokers, and shell companies without site control or signed customers—have exposed a brittle U.S. transmission and interconnection system; cited figures include data center interconnection requests jumping from 1 GW to 25 GW in Houston, utilities projecting 5.7% annual demand growth through 2030, and FERC projecting demand growth revisions (from 3.7% to 29% in one cited comparison). The author recommends aligning load, generation, and transmission planning and securing utility contracts before land purchases.
Supporting details / background:Regulatory and cost responses cited include: ComEd charging $1,000,000 deposits for 50 MW+ requests in Chicago, Ohio requiring data centers to pay for at least 85% of projected energy use, Virginia locking large-load customers into 14-year contracts, and transmission shortfalls (U.S. built 888 miles of high-capacity lines in 2024 vs. DOE’s estimate of 5,000 miles annually needed). The piece is commentary from a Flexential executive describing actions taken by serious operators (phased schedules, conditional land purchases) and notes federal moves (FERC direction to revise PJM tariff and standardize large-load connections).

May 14, 2026

Record Power Burn Expected This Summer as Coal Retirements and Data Centers Drive Gas Demand

The Natural Gas Supply Association (NGSA) released its Summer Outlook on May 13, forecasting record U.S. natural gas supply of 117 Bcf/d while warning that rising LNG exports, data center load, industrial activity, and power generation will tighten storage and push power burn to record levels.

Main announcement: NGSA/EVA projects total U.S. supply of 117 Bcf/d (including 111.7 Bcf/d dry gas) and total demand of 108.7 Bcf/d this summer; power burn is forecast at 40.3 Bcf/d (up 2.0 Bcf/d), and end-of-summer storage is projected near 3,662 Bcf (about 106 Bcf below the five-year average). The report was issued as the Summer 2026 Natural Gas Market Outlook (May 13) prepared by EVA for NGSA.
Background and details: The outlook identifies LNG exports rising 4.3 Bcf/d to 19.9 Bcf/d (new capacity including Plaquemines LNG, Corpus Christi Stage 3, Golden Pass Train 1), notes data center capacity growing from 44 GW (2025) to 55 GW (2026) and to 74 GW (2027) (Oracle 1.2-GW Stargate, Meta 1-GW Prometheus, Google $40B Texas commitment), and documents industrial project additions (63 completed projects ~1.99 Bcf/d and $104.3 billion investment; 20 planned projects adding ~1.98 Bcf/d and $44.3 billion investment through 2030). The note highlights permitting and infrastructure policy actions (Trump July 2025 executive order, DOE site openings, SPEED Act House passage Dec 18, 2025, FERC rule changes Oct 2025) and recent pipeline developments (Williams NESE FERC reauthorization Aug 2025; ground-breaking April 2026).

May 12, 2026

Cowtown Angels Portfolio Co. Strategic Thermal Labs Acquired by Ohio-Based Vertiv

Vertiv has acquired Georgetown-based Strategic Thermal Labs (STL), integrating STL’s chip-level liquid-cooling expertise into Vertiv’s thermal-chain strategy.

Acquisition announced: Vertiv (NYSE: VRT) acquired Strategic Thermal Labs (STL); STL contributes cold-plate design, server-side liquid cooling, and high-density thermal validation capabilities to strengthen Vertiv’s thermal-chain interface for AI and high-performance computing environments. Cowtown Angels (TechFW) participated in STL’s April 2024 seed round (led by Carrier Ventures; included Cowtown Sidecar Fund-I). Article date: May 12, 2026.
Background & details: STL was founded in 2014. Vertiv said the deal improves its ability to simulate and emulate high-density compute conditions, optimize thermal and power-train interaction, and support customers across design, integration, commissioning, and lifecycle operations. Quotes included from Caitlin McMinn (TechFW) and Scott Armul (Vertiv).

May 11, 2026

Senate Bill Would Explore Satellite Broadband Expansion Across Appalachia

The Expanding Appalachia’s Broadband Access Act, introduced by Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio) and Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), would require the Appalachian Regional Commission to study the incorporation of satellite broadband into regional broadband projects.

Requires Appalachian Regional Commission study: The bill would direct the Appalachian Regional Commission to evaluate satellite broadband effectiveness for business use, examine economic development outcomes in areas already using satellite connectivity, and assess the overall cost-effectiveness of the technology; if the study finds satellite effective, rural businesses and communities could seek ARC funding under the commission’s programs.
Context and supporting details: The proposal builds on a House companion bill passed by unanimous voice vote in March; the ARC currently prioritizes fiber-optic infrastructure but funds other technologies that provide “fiber-like” experiences in challenging terrain; the article cites an Ookla white paper finding Starlink increasingly meets the FCC benchmark of 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload.

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