OpenAI Joins PORTS-Pike Project

OpenAI has agreed to join the PORTS-Pike Technology Campus project in Pike County, Ohio, in collaboration with SB Energy, NVIDIA, and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Through this collaboration, the company plans to secure approximately 8GW-IT of power.

The project is expected to create approximately 35,000 construction jobs and 2,500 long-term operational jobs by 2032. OpenAI will additionally invest $40 million in community funds for the local community and plans to provide $84 million worth of Codex credits to all college students in Ohio.

Key operational principles are as follows:

• Infrastructure costs: SB Energy will bear the full cost of grid upgrades and new transmission line construction to prevent burdens on local taxpayers.
• Water resource management: Closed-loop, air-cooled cooling systems will be introduced to minimize water consumption.
• Community contribution: Local labor and suppliers will be prioritized, and the project will generate significant state and local tax revenue to contribute to public services.

Additionally, OpenAI has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the North America's Building Trades Unions (NABTU) to support education and career pathways for local residents to perform construction and technical operational roles.