OpenAI is negotiating a lease for a massive data center in Ohio that would draw up to 10 gigawatts of power — roughly the output of ten large nuclear reactors. Nvidia is separately discussing credit backing for the project, according to people familiar with the talks.
A Data Center of Unprecedented Scale
The 10-gigawatt figure dwarfs existing data centers. Most large facilities today operate in the hundreds of megawatts. A single gigawatt can power about 750,000 homes. A 10-gigawatt AI data center would be among the largest electrical loads ever built for a single customer.
The scale highlights the explosive growth in computing demand as companies race to train and deploy advanced AI models. OpenAI has been expanding its infrastructure footprint rapidly, and Ohio has emerged as a hub for data centers thanks to available land, fiber connectivity, and relatively low electricity costs.
Nvidia's Role in Financing
Nvidia, the chipmaker whose GPUs power most AI workloads, is discussing credit support for the project. The company’s involvement could help secure financing from banks or institutional investors. Nvidia has an interest in ensuring that its customers can build the facilities needed to run its hardware.
Details of the credit arrangement are still being worked out. The talks are fluid, and no final agreements have been signed. Both companies declined to comment for this story.
Financial and Environmental Risks
Building a 10-gigawatt data center carries significant financial risks. Construction costs could run into the tens of billions of dollars. The project would need years to complete, and the AI market could shift in the meantime. If demand for compute power slows or competitors roll out more efficient chips, the facility could become underused.
Environmental concerns are also front and center. A 10-gigawatt load would require hundreds of millions of gallons of water per year for cooling, depending on design. Ohio’s grid would need major upgrades to handle the strain. Local environmental groups have already raised alarms about carbon emissions and water use, even though both OpenAI and Nvidia have public commitments to sustainability.
The project would test whether the industry can meet AI's infrastructure needs without overwhelming local resources or blowing past climate targets.
Talks are continuing. Any final deal would likely require environmental impact assessments, regulatory approvals, and long-term power purchase agreements. Ohio officials have not yet publicly commented on the proposal.
