SoftBank-Led Consortium Finalizes $33 Billion U.S. AI Infrastructure Venture

SoftBank forms 21-firm consortium to build a 9.2GW gas plant and 10GW AI data center campus in Ohio, backed by US-Japan trade deal, creating thousands of jobs.

A landmark industrial alliance has moved from a preliminary agreement to a concrete, multi-billion dollar project. Over the weekend, SoftBank Group Corp. formally established a consortium of 21 major corporations. This partnership aims to execute one of the most capital-intensive technology initiatives in U.S. history, focusing on a dramatic expansion of artificial intelligence infrastructure in Ohio that promises to redefine power supply standards for data centers.

A Strategic Industrial Partnership

Dubbed the "Portsmouth Consortium," the group unites leading Japanese and U.S. industrial powerhouses. Participants include corporate giants such as Hitachi, Mitsubishi Electric, and Mizuho Bank. Their collective plan is to develop a massive technology campus on the site of a former uranium enrichment plant in Piketon, Ohio. The campus will feature a 10-gigawatt data center complex alongside a newly constructed natural gas power plant with a capacity of 9.2 gigawatts.

This ambitious undertaking is deeply connected to a $550 billion trade agreement between the United States and Japan. Japanese funding for the power plant alone amounts to $33.3 billion. Furthermore, through its subsidiary SB Energy, SoftBank is collaborating with the regional utility AEP Ohio. An investment of $4.2 billion is earmarked for necessary upgrades to the electrical grid. The companies involved have emphasized that these costs will not result in higher rates for residential customers. Instead, surplus energy generated is expected to be fed into the local grid, potentially lowering electricity costs across the region.

Cornerstone of a Broader AI Vision

The Ohio project is not a standalone effort but a critical component of SoftBank's comprehensive strategy for AI infrastructure. The conglomerate is already engaged in the "Stargate" initiative with partners OpenAI and Oracle. That project seeks to build vast, nationwide data center capacity dedicated to artificial intelligence, with potential investments reaching up to $500 billion. Last autumn, the three partners identified the U.S. Midwest as a key location for their collaborative efforts.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, construction on the Portsmouth project is scheduled to commence before the end of this year. By formally launching the consortium, SoftBank is transforming its strategic vision into a structured industrial enterprise. The initiative is projected to create approximately 10,000 construction jobs and 2,000 permanent positions, solidifying SoftBank's role at the heart of U.S.-Japanese technology and infrastructure investment for the long term.