Ohio Data Center News

May 2, 2026

Piketon Power Plant Proposal Sparks Debate Over Scale, Feasibility and Environmental Impact

Backers have proposed a $33 billion power plant and AI data center near Piketon, Ohio.

Project details: The proposal calls for a $33 billion development featuring a 9.2-gigawatt power plant and an accompanying artificial intelligence data center; developers say the facility could anchor up to $1.5 trillion in related investment over several decades and is backed publicly by former President Donald Trump and a coalition of private investors. Regulatory review and permitting are expected to take years.
Background and concerns:Energy experts and environmental groups have raised issues including supply chain constraints, permitting delays, and environmental risks such as water usage, emissions, and land disruption; local reaction is mixed and developers have provided limited technical detail about cleaner energy technologies or implementation timelines.

May 1, 2026

MARA agrees to acquire Long Ridge Energy for $1.5bn

MARA has announced it will acquire Long Ridge Energy & Power from FTAI Infrastructure for nearly $1.5bn.

Acquisition details: The deal covers the 505MW combined-cycle gas power plant in Hannibal, Ohio and more than 1,600 acres intended for a digital infrastructure campus, includes rail infrastructure, assumed debt and a Barclays-supported bridge loan, and is expected to close in H2 2026 pending Hart-Scott-Rodino Act clearance and FERC authorisation. Construction of initial AI/critical IT buildout begins H1 2027, with 200MW operational by mid-2028; MARA plans to expand site capacity to as much as 600MW and the campus has potential for >1GW total capacity, increasing MARA’s owned and operated capacity by ~65% to ~2.2GW across PJM, SPP, ERCOT and international markets.
Financials and operations: The acquired assets are forecast to deliver ~$144m annualised adjusted EBITDA based on projected H2 2025 performance; current plant operating costs are reported below $15/MW-hour and the facility has 100 million cubic feet per day fuel supply. MARA will retain Long Ridge’s existing team; financial and legal advisors include Barclays Capital, Compass Point Research & Trading, Paul, Weiss, Sidley Austin, Jefferies, Lazard, and Skadden, Arps.

May 1, 2026

Data centres &amp; AI: India’s strategic imperative amid geopolitical concerns, environmental challenges

Prof Ashwani Mahajan argues India is accelerating data centre expansion to power AI and secure digital sovereignty.

Main announcement/action: The article advocates that India should prioritise domestic data centre infrastructure to bolster digital sovereignty and AI competitiveness, citing a Union Budget policy proposal that offers a tax holiday until 2047 for foreign cloud companies that establish new data centres in India and serve global markets. The piece emphasizes concrete policy levers: tax incentives, regulatory support, and attracting global cloud providers.
Background and details: The author highlights international pushback — 700+ data centres under development in the US, a proposed moratorium until October 2027 in one US state, and ~$64 billion of projects placed under uncertainty across 28 US states — while urging India to mandate renewable energy sourcing, develop dedicated clean energy infrastructure, and use water pricing mechanisms to prevent unsustainable local resource use.

Apr 29, 2026

Energy Subcommittee Hearing Focuses on Affordability, Grid Modernization

The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee questioned utility experts on seven proposed bills about AI and its effects on the energy grid.

Main announcement: The Subcommittee reviewed seven bills that would increase agency collaboration, establish a public clearinghouse for “advanced transmission technologies”, and direct the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to study the real impacts of data centers on utility price hikes; testimony included Arizona Corporation Commission Chairman Nick Meyers and other state and business representatives.
Background and details: Rep. Bob Latta emphasized the administration’s goal to out-compete China and to “refocus Federal authorities on policies that matter most to the American people: abundant and reliable energy supplies at an affordable price”; Rep. Kathy Castor urged use of modern, fast-emerging tools and cited a Brattle report finding that raising grid utilization above 53 percent could save ratepayers more than $100 billion over the next decade. Meyers warned against overly uniform federal approaches, noting the West’s grid ties to BPA, SRP, WAPA, and cited limiting constraints such as substations, transformers, and interconnection facilities as key issues (also highlighting interconnection queues, supply chain bottlenecks, and permitting reforms).

Apr 29, 2026

Forward,Faster: The Environmental Dangers of Data Centers and Semiconductor Manufacturing Plantsnological

Intel has announced plans to build two semiconductor manufacturing fabs in New Albany, Ohio and has invested nearly $30 billion in the project.

Project details: Intel selected New Albany, Ohio (a few miles northeast of Columbus) as the site for two semiconductor fabs, with nearly $30 billion invested for development and manufacturing; this follows federal policy under the CHIPS and Science Act to boost domestic semiconductor production.
Background and related concerns: The column cites data center electricity demand (Ohio projected to reach 11% of state electricity use by 2030, up from 5.3%) and rising greenhouse gas emissions at major tech firms (Google +50%, Amazon +33%, Microsoft +23%, Meta +60% over five years), and calls for greater transparency and public engagement from developers regarding environmental impacts.

Apr 28, 2026

Environmental Law Society’s 2026 Spring Climate Conference: A Recap

The Environmental Law Society hosted its second annual Spring Climate Conference on February 27, 2026 at CSU|Law.

Event details: The conference was a three-CLE event titled “Demand and Supply”, featuring three panels that covered clean energy tax incentives, solar and microgrid projects (Brooklyn Solar Farm, Euclid Microgrid), community energy legislation (discussion of House Bills 15 and 303), and data center energy and water impacts; a recording is available at the provided CSU link.
Participants and follow-up: Panelists included Mike Foley, Alexis Kim, Joe Price, Sharon Ray, Tristan Rader, Kurt Princic, Addison Caruso, and Helena Volzer; the conference dovetailed with JDO student programming, the microgrid is shown 4.5 minutes into the recording, and the organizers intend a 2027 conference focused on federal policy.

Apr 28, 2026

California Utilities Have a Solution to Soaring Energy Prices: More Data Centers

PG&E is advancing a policy and commercial push to attract large data center loads as a means to lower electric rates for California ratepayers.

Main announcement/action: PG&E has celebrated the delivery of its first large data-center customer in San Jose and is actively courting hyperscalers; the utility announced a rate decrease in March 2026 and asserts that each 1 GW of data center load could reduce electric rates by 1–2%, while forecasting up to 12.6 GW of potential data-center load from current applications (enough to power 8.4 million homes). CPUC also approved Electric Rule No. 30 (July 2025) requiring applicants to pay transmission upgrade costs upfront to protect ratepayers.
Background and other details: Regulatory and research sources (Brattle Group and LBNL) show California’s retail electricity prices rose markedly 2019–2024 (California at 30.29 cents/kWh); Cal Advocates warns transmission upgrades could run in the billions and recommends cost-responsibility rules. State-level bills (Sen. Scott Padilla, March) would streamline environmental review (ELDP incentives) and impose tariffs to ensure data centers offset costs; a March presidential Rate Payer Protection Pledge was signed by major tech firms (Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, OpenAI, Oracle, xAI).

Apr 28, 2026 · IT Brief Asia

Vertiv acquires Strategic Thermal Labs in cooling push

Vertiv has announced it has acquired Strategic Thermal Labs.

Main announcement: Vertiv has acquired Strategic Thermal Labs to expand its engineering capabilities in liquid cooling for dense computing systems, adding expertise in cold-plate design, server-side liquid cooling, and thermal validation; the business will support customers through design, integration, commissioning and ongoing operations.
Background and details: The acquisition strengthens Vertiv’s thermal-chain strategy to manage heat from chips through supporting infrastructure; Vertiv is based in Westerville, Ohio and operates in more than 130 countries. The company said the transaction will not change its support for open, interoperable infrastructure and aims to improve simulation/emulation of dense compute conditions.

Apr 24, 2026

Episode for April 24, 2026

Gov. Josh Shapiro announced two Western Pennsylvania coal-fired power plants will push back their retirement dates by at least four more years.

Main action: Gov. Josh Shapiro announced the two Western Pennsylvania coal-fired power plants will stay open through 2032, providing additional time to meet water pollution standards and to help satisfy rising energy demand from data centers.
Background and other details: The episode (April 24, 2026) also reports Ohio residents’ concerns about planned fracking in a remote natural area, coverage of native hawthorn trees Crataegus pennsylvanica and their habitat value for the scarlet tanager (an estimated 13% of its breeding population in Pennsylvania), and a farm–nonprofit partnership redirecting spoiled produce to a farm where chickens eat the food as a “salad bar” to reduce waste and fight hunger.

Apr 24, 2026

Wärtsilä wins 790MW off-grid power order for Texas data centre

Wärtsilä has announced an order to provide a 790MW off-grid power solution for a new data centre in Texas.

Project details: The order covers a 790MW off-grid power plant using 42 Wärtsilä 50SG engines running on natural gas; equipment delivery scheduled for 2028 and full operations expected late 2029. The order was recorded in Q2 2026 and is intended to provide a dedicated, uninterrupted power supply independent of the main grid.
Background and technical specifics: Wärtsilä states the engines have an average heat rate of 6,800 Btu/kWh, are designed for high-temperature operation in Texas, use significantly less water and fuel than traditional alternatives, and are planned to allow future integration with renewable energy. The project adds to more than 2.4GW of Wärtsilä capacity delivered to US data centres; the article also references a recent 412MW contract for a hyperscale Ohio project using 40 Wärtsilä 34SG engines.

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