COLUMBUS, OH – In the age of artificial intelligence and hyperconnected computing, data centers are the engines of digital progress. But behind every terabyte processed lies a deeper need: power. Ohio is stepping up with an ambitious, forward-looking energy strategy that’s positioning the state as the power hub of America’s data infrastructure.
Once a manufacturing titan of the Rust Belt, Ohio is now spearheading the Silicon Heartland—a regional effort to restore domestic semiconductor production and data sovereignty. With Intel’s $20B megafab and hyperscale campuses from Microsoft, Amazon, and Google, the demand for stable, scalable energy has never been greater. The Midwest’s geography, workforce, and grid reliability offer a rare opportunity to future-proof America’s digital foundations.
Ohio is executing a multi-source energy strategy tailored to the demands of hyperscale data operations:
- Natural Gas Plants for Immediate Scalability: Facilities like the PowerConneX New Albany Energy Center (120MW) and Will-Power’s Socrates Stations (400MW combined) provide on-demand, high-capacity energy to power data clusters without straining the regional grid.
- Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) for Long-Term Stability: Standard Power and NuScale are planning a 2GW SMR installation to deliver clean, uninterrupted energy to AI and chip centers. Oklo’s microreactors—capable of 10-year autonomous operation—are being evaluated for decentralized, secure deployment.
- Smart Grid & University Innovation: At The Ohio State University’s NuScale E2 Center, students and researchers simulate nuclear energy scenarios that align power output with digital infrastructure load demand—helping future-proof power delivery.
Data centers are capital-intensive, energy-hungry, and mission-critical to AI, healthcare, defense, and financial services. Ohio’s energy roadmap ensures these facilities remain online, sustainable, and economically viable. This strategy supports:
- Thousands of high-skill jobs in engineering, energy, and data infrastructure
- Localized supply chains for power components and digital hardware
- National goals for decarbonization and grid resilience
Federal support from the CHIPS Act and Inflation Reduction Act funds R&D, nuclear pilot programs, and renewable tech integration. Ohio State, Columbus State, and regional utility partners are driving workforce alignment and smart grid deployment.
For the Americans, these advancements mean:
- Lower latency and higher data reliability
- Growth of digital services in education, health, and logistics
- Enhanced national security and digital independence
“Every AI breakthrough starts with electricity. Ohio is designing that future,” said Dr. Carla Jefferson, energy systems researcher at OSU.
“You don’t get computing without capacity. Ohio’s grid strategy is what leadership looks like,” added Sam Mitchell, VP of Infrastructure at CoreCompute.
