SB Energy, a subsidiary of SoftBank, is expected to build a massive 9.2 gigawatt natural gas-fired power plant on the Ohio-Kentucky border. If completed, it would become the largest power plant in the United States, capable of powering approximately 7.5 million homes.
The project carries a reported price tag of $33 billion, a figure noted as significantly higher than recent natural gas plant costs. It remains unclear who will ultimately pay for the project, though historically such costs have been passed on to utility customers.
SB Energy is a partner with OpenAI in the Stargate data center project. The company has not specified whether this new power plant would supply the general electrical grid or be dedicated to powering data centers. OpenAI and SoftBank are concurrently developing a proof-of-concept data center at the former General Motors automotive assembly plant in Lordstown.
A power plant of this scale is likely to take many years, potentially a decade, to complete, even before considering current shortages of natural gas turbines. If built, the facility could emit an estimated 15 million metric tons of carbon dioxide annually. When accounting for methane leaks from the natural gas supply chain, the total climate impact could be even greater.