After years of talk about big projects that never seemed to materialize, officials say Southern Ohio may finally be seeing something real take shape.
New details released today outline a multi-billion-dollar energy project planned for the former Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant site in Piketon. The announcement came from federal officials along with AEP Ohio and SoftBank Group.
The project would combine a massive data center campus with major power infrastructure — part of a larger push happening across Ohio as demand for electricity continues to grow.
And for local leaders, it feels like a turning point.
“I’ve been around here a long time,” Commissioner Merit Smith said at a recent meeting. “We’ve talked about stuff and talked about stuff — and right now we have some concrete evidence that things are coming.”
What’s Planned
According to the announcement, the project includes:
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A 10-gigawatt data center campus
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Up to 10 gigawatts of new power generation
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New high-voltage transmission lines
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About $4.2 billion in electric infrastructure
It’s a massive scale — the kind of project typically tied to artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and large tech companies.
Construction could begin as early as this year, with power expected to be up and running around 2029.
Not Just One Project
This isn’t happening in a vacuum.
Ohio has been seeing a boom in data centers, especially around Columbus. Now, Southern Ohio is starting to get pulled into that growth.
Between this project in Piketon and the proposed Google data center in Scioto County, the region is starting to look a lot different than it did even a year ago.
Instead of chasing development, leaders say projects are finally starting to come here.
Jobs and Local Impact
Officials say the project could bring:
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Thousands of construction jobs
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Long-term technical and operations positions
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More work for local contractors and trades
It also marks a major shift for the Piketon site, which for decades was tied to uranium enrichment and federal cleanup work.
Now, the goal is to turn it into a modern energy and technology hub.
What About Electric Bills?
With projects like this, one of the first questions people ask is: who’s paying for it?
Developers say the transmission upgrades — about $4.2 billion worth — will be paid for by the company, not local ratepayers.
They also say extra power capacity could help support the grid, rather than strain it.
That’s something a lot of people will be watching closely as the project moves forward.
Bigger Picture: Southern Ohio as an Energy Hub
Beyond the data center itself, the bigger story may be the power infrastructure.
Projects like this can:
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Strengthen the electric grid
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Attract more industry
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Open the door for future development
For a region that hasn’t seen a major project in decades, that’s a big deal.
Still Early — and Still Questions
Even with today’s announcement, the project still has a long way to go.
It will need:
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Environmental reviews
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Public input
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State approvals
And there are still concerns being raised — especially about environmental impact, water use, and the long history of nuclear work at the Piketon site.
The Bottom Line
For years, Scioto County and the surrounding area have heard promises about economic development that never quite landed.
This time, leaders say it feels different. There’s still a process ahead — and plenty of questions — but with today’s announcement, there’s finally something concrete on the table.
