BRIEFINGS · AI models and laboratories
OpenAI agrees to secure about 8 gigawatts at an Ohio campus under a 20-year lease
OpenAI said on 17 August it agreed to secure about 8 gigawatts-IT at the PORTS-Pike campus in Ohio under a 20-year lease, with 800 MW due in 2028.
On 17 August 2026 OpenAI said it agreed to secure about 8 gigawatts-IT at the PORTS-Pike Technology Campus in Pike County, Ohio, working with SB Energy, NVIDIA and the U.S. Department of Energy. SB Energy will build, own and operate the site under a 20-year lease to OpenAI, and the first 800 megawatts are expected in 2028. OpenAI said it will pay only as completed capacity becomes available, and NVIDIA will put $1.5 billion in SB Energy. OpenAI said it will fund its commitments through revenue, cash flow and capital from backers, and the buildout runs through 2032. We file this because it is a company-confirmed contract with hard figures. How we read it: OpenAI is lining up a very large block of future computing capacity, paid for as each stage opens. What would change this: delays in power, permits or financing. Why it matters to you: it shows how much physical capacity a leading AI lab is securing years ahead.
What this doesn't prove
Company post. Development depends on infrastructure, permits, environmental reviews and financing being in place, per the post. Further capacity needs new power plants and transmission lines. The post gives no total lease value or funding amounts.
Next fixture
- First 800 MW in 2028
- Buildout financing
Sources
- OpenAI joins PORTS-Pike project17 August 2026
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