Major Data Center Project Confirmed for Ohio, Scaling to 1.3 Gigawatts by 2032

Major Data Center Project Confirmed for Ohio, Scaling to 1.3 Gigawatts by 2032
March 12, 2026

A significant data center development has been officially confirmed for Adams County, Ohio, highlighting the intense power demands of modern computing infrastructure and the growing tensions between rapid industry expansion and local community concerns. The project, planned for a former landfill site once operated by Dayton Power & Light, represents one of the most substantial power commitments for a single data center campus in the United States.

According to a regulatory filing submitted by utility AES Ohio, the operator of the proposed facility has requested an initial electricity allocation of 100 megawatts (MW) starting in 2028. The filing outlines an aggressive expansion plan, with power demand scheduled to increase to 400 MW in 2029, 700 MW in 2030, 1.1 gigawatts (GW) in 2031, and ultimately reaching a massive 1.3 GW by 2032. Following the filing, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued a permit enabling construction to proceed, which includes specific conditions to protect local endangered species and establish a buffer zone near area cemeteries.

The scale of the project's energy consumption has become a central point of contention. Analysis by local news outlet WCPO-TV, citing research from FindEnergy and the MOST Policy Initiative, indicates that the facility's annual power draw could reach an estimated 11.4 million megawatt-hours by 2032. This would be approximately 31 times Adams County's total electricity consumption of 366,401 megawatt-hours in 2025. Notably, even the initial 100 MW phase in 2028 is projected to consume around 876,000 megawatt-hours annually, immediately surpassing the county's current yearly usage.

The confirmation of the project validates local suspicions following unconfirmed reports in February. It has also galvanized considerable opposition from residents and community groups. Critics have raised alarms over a perceived lack of transparency, potential increases in energy costs for other ratepayers, and environmental pollution concerns. This opposition has manifested in local petitions calling for a statewide constitutional amendment to ban data centers and for new rural zoning rules in Adams County specifically designed to restrict such developments.

This project underscores a broader national challenge: balancing the critical infrastructure needs of the digital economy, particularly for artificial intelligence and cloud computing, with the capacity constraints of regional power grids and the legitimate concerns of host communities. The phased, multi-gigawatt plan for Adams County will serve as a closely watched case study in navigating these complex trade-offs.

Source: datacenterdynamics