OpenAI joins PORTS-Pike project

OpenAI has agreed to secure approximately 8 gigawatts of power at the PORTS-Pike Technology Campus in Pike County, Ohio, through a collaboration with SB Energy, NVIDIA, and the U.S. Department of Energy. The project aims to support local infrastructure and energy needs while creating 35,000 construction jobs by 2032 and 2,500 long-term operating positions. OpenAI will cover project-specific costs and invest $40 million in a community grant fund, building on SB Energy’s prior $40 million commitment.

The initiative includes a $84 million allocation of Codex credits via ChatGPT, granting Ohio college students access to the technology. Pike County’s historical role in industrial growth will be extended as the project positions the region for a leading role in AI infrastructure development. OpenAI plans to shape the project through ongoing engagement with residents, local officials, and community groups to establish an Ohio Community Compact reflecting local priorities.

SB Energy will develop the campus on private and remediated land at the former Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant, with the first 800 megawatts expected in 2028 using existing AEP infrastructure. Further expansion will require new power plants, transmission lines, and associated infrastructure. NVIDIA will invest $1.5 billion in SB Energy and provide credit support for the initial 4.25 IT-gigawatts of capacity, contingent on permits, reviews, and financing.

The data center will exclusively host NVIDIA AI compute infrastructure under a 20-year lease to OpenAI, which will fund commitments through revenue and investor capital. NVIDIA and OpenAI will collaborate on resilient infrastructure design and publish a technical white paper to share best practices. The project aligns with OpenAI’s mission to ensure artificial general intelligence benefits humanity while supporting local economic growth and AI accessibility.