OpenAI, Nvidia and SB Energy made the Ohio PORTS-Pike AI data-center plan official.
OpenAI said on August 17 that SB Energy will build, own and operate the PORTS-Pike campus under a 20-year lease, with OpenAI using capacity that will exclusively host Nvidia compute.
What happened
OpenAI said the first 800 megawatts are expected in 2028 using existing AEP infrastructure, while further development will require new power plants, transmission and financing. Nvidia said the initial deployment is designed for 4.25 IT-GW of AI-factory capacity, with OpenAI as customer for 8 IT-GW, and that Nvidia will invest $1.5 billion in SB Energy. Reuters, via Moneycontrol, reported Nvidia agreed to provide up to $105 billion of guarantee support for the project and that SoftBank and SB Energy plan at least 10 gigawatts of new power generation plus $4.2 billion of regional grid investment.
Why it matters
The deal makes the AI supply chain look less like software scaling and more like project finance: land, power, shells, grid upgrades, residual-value guarantees, chip exclusivity and long-dated lease commitments all have to clear before model demand becomes usable capacity.
What to watch
Whether permits, power plants, grid upgrades and financing close on schedule; whether the first 800 megawatts actually becomes available in 2028; whether Nvidia's credit support changes how lenders price AI infrastructure; and whether OpenAI demand produces enough cash flow to justify the fixed capacity.
The caveat
OpenAI and Nvidia are interested primary sources for capacity, community and demand claims. The Reuters account adds independent financing detail, but the final capital stack, project debt and return profile are not yet public.