Ohio Data Center Intel

Recent Ohio data center news

• May 6, 2026

  Power Drives the AI Data Center Boom, but Connectivity Cannot be Overlooked

  An analysis argues that data center operators must prioritize power and optical connectivity for AI.

  • Main point: The piece highlights power and optical connectivity as essential prerequisites for AI, citing Omdia’s forecast that global IT load power capacity will reach 314 GW by 2030 and noting the emergence of the “scale across“ concept (coined in 2025 by Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang) which requires 800 Gbps+, low-latency optical links to operate multi-site AI clusters and gigawatt-scale training campuses.
  • Background/details: The article is commentary/analysis (not a formal project announcement). It documents current industry pressures: typical large colocation sites support 50–100 MW, hyperscaler clusters are being planned at gigawatt scale, regional power supply wait times of 2–5 years, and a shift toward remote rural builds (examples: Lancaster PA; Memphis; Columbus, Ohio; rural Georgia; New Mexico; Wyoming) that require long-haul fiber links sometimes up to ~1,000 km. It references trade shows and forums including Metro Connect (Florida), Nvidia’s GTC, OFC, and the Optica Executive Forum.
• May 6, 2026

  Data Center Jobs: Engineering, Construction, Commissioning, Sales, Field Service and Facility Tech Jobs Available in Major Data Center Hotspots

  Data Center Frontier, in partnership with Pkaza, has posted the latest data center job listings on its jobs board.

  • Monthly job roundup: The post lists multiple open roles including Power Applications Engineer, Electrical Commissioning Engineer, Power Systems Sales Implementation Engineer, Architect Design Manager (CSA), Electrical Project Manager, Commissioning Project Manager, MEP Superintendent, Director of Data Center Facility Operations, Project Executive (Owner’s Rep), EHS Director, Mechanical Commissioning Lead, Mechanical Controls Engineer, Director of Project Deliverables, and Senior Electrical Engineer across numerous U.S. locations (examples: Pittsburgh, PA; New Albany, OH; Raleigh, NC; Dallas, TX; Charlotte, NC; Chesterton, IN; Denver, CO; New York, NY; Totowa, NJ), with many roles offering remote or multi-city travel options.
  • Client and role context: Positions are with mission-critical data center developers, engineering design and commissioning firms, electrical contracting firms, general contractors, and digital infrastructure firms; job descriptions emphasize reliability, energy efficiency, sustainable design, and LEED expertise, and note career-growth opportunities, competitive salaries and benefits. Many listings reference travel requirements and alternative available locations for implementation timelines (immediate hiring/use by clients), but no specific salary or funding amounts are disclosed.
• May 6, 2026

  AEP Q1 2026 GAAP earnings rise 9% to $874m

  American Electric Power (AEP) reported Q1 2026 GAAP earnings of $874m and raised its five-year capital plan to $78bn.

  • Q1 financial results and guidance: AEP reported GAAP earnings of $874m (up 9.3% vs Q1 2025) and non-GAAP operating earnings of $891m (up 8.3%); quarterly revenue was $6.02bn (up 10.2%). AEP maintained full-year 2026 operating earnings guidance of EPS $6.15–$6.45.
  • Capital plan, load growth and project details: AEP increased its five-year capital plan to $78bn (from $72bn), with $33bn targeted for transmission projects (42% of plan). AEP reported new load agreements totalling 7GW in Q1, expects incremental load of 63GW by 2030, and says AEP Texas accounts for 41GW of commitments. New projects include 765kV transmission lines across the Southwest Power Pool and PJM regions; implementation of Texas Senate Bill 6 is expected to streamline interconnection processes. AEP also cites use of federal grants and loan guarantees to deliver nearly $600m in customer savings.
• May 5, 2026

  Thermal Energy Networks Turn Data Center Waste Heat into a Hot Commodity

  Author Aastha Singh presents an analysis promoting Thermal Energy Networks (TENs) to capture and reuse waste heat from data centers across U.S. communities.

  • Main proposal: The article urges adoption of Thermal Energy Networks (TENs) and district heating to capture waste heat from data center cooling and deliver it to nearby buildings; it cites concrete examples (Stockholm, Mäntsälä, Tallaght, Equinix PA10 in Paris) and quantifies benefits such as avoiding construction of 54 new power plants and $22.1 billion in building-cost savings.
  • Policy and implementation details: It documents current policy moves (Virginia HB323 as the first U.S. waste-heat reuse bill), federal legislative activity (S.4213 Data Center Water and Energy Transparency Act introduced March 2026), and recommends actions including DOE pilot grants, expedited permitting, and energy/resource-intensity standards for data centers.
• May 5, 2026

  IBM Targets Enterprise AI Control Layer with ‘Operating Model’ Push

  IBM announced an ‘AI operating model’ built around data, agents, automation, and hybrid infrastructure to move enterprises from isolated AI projects to coordinated systems embedded in core business processes.

  • Main announcement: IBM introduced an AI operating model and positioned Watsonx Orchestrate as a control plane and Concert as the operational remediation layer; the company announced an integration of Watsonx.data with Confluent’s streaming technologies to enable real-time data pipelines and live context for agent-driven systems.
  • Background and details:Arvind Krishna framed the shift citing over 70% of enterprise data remaining on-premises; analysts (Tekonyx, HyperFrame Research, Moor Insights & Strategy) warned enterprises are fragmented on data and lacking production governance, and IBM emphasized hybrid/on-premises deployment rather than building foundation models or competing on hyperscale infrastructure.
• May 5, 2026 · RMI

  Unpacking the PJM CIFP Decision: What PJM States Can Do to Ensure Affordable, Reliable Electricity During the Data Center Boom

  The PJM Board announced a plan on January 16, 2026 to address challenges from surging large electricity customers and called for state engagement on implementation of the CIFP-LLA framework.

  • Main action: PJM released a CIFP-LLA plan proposing revised regional load forecasting, voluntary Bring-Your-Own-New-Generation (BYONG) options, a “connect and manage” curtailment approach, and a new “reliability backstop” capacity auction; the plan targets management of rapid data center-driven load growth (PJM region: 13 states + DC, projected ~30 GW new demand by 2030) and establishes an Expedited Interconnection Track (EIT) for 10 qualifying BYONG projects annually with a 250 MW UCAP threshold noted.
  • Context and next steps: This RMI analysis provides state-focused guidance (regulatory and legislative) for large load tariffs, non-firm service and BYO tariffs, permitting reforms, VPPs and ATTs, and participation in PJM’s upcoming Reliability Backstop Procurement (RBP) workshops tied to the 2027/2028 auction; it is an advisory/analysis piece rather than a primary regulatory order and references federal bodies such as FERC and the White House Energy Dominance Council for related jurisdictional developments.
• May 4, 2026

  In the PR Battle for AI Data Centers, Tech Giants Got a Blue-Collar Ally

  Building trades unions have aligned with tech giants to support and staff rapid expansion of data center construction for the AI economy.

  • Unions expanding training and workshare:Building trades unions are scaling training centers and apprenticeships (apprentice classes doubling in size in some areas), reporting record numbers of members and apprentices in 2025; data centers account for at least 40% of work hours for the Columbus-Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council and 50% for IBEW Local 26 in metropolitan Washington, D.C. North America’s Building Trades Unions reports record membership and apprenticeships, and union leaders (e.g., Sean McGarvey) attribute growth to data centers, power plants, and Biden-era subsidies for semiconductors and EV battery factories.
  • Partnerships, funding and project details: Tech companies are funding training and signing labor agreements: Google provided a $10 million grant to a union-backed electricians training program (said to expand the electrician workforce pipeline by 70%); Amazon announced it will spend $20 billion on two data center projects in eastern Pennsylvania (announced with Gov. Josh Shapiro); unions negotiated labor agreements on projects including Oracle/OpenAI’s Stargate campus (Michigan) and the “Project Blue” campus in Arizona. These are factual reporting items, not new single-source policy announcements.
• 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 & 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.