Nvidia to Invest Up to $105 Billion for OpenAI Data Center in Ohio
Nvidia on Monday agreed to provide up to $105 billion in credit and invest $1.5 billion in SB Energy to build an AI data center campus in Pike County, Ohio, for OpenAI.
- 4.25 gigawatts of initial computing capacity can expand to 8 gigawatts total.
- $33 billion is the projected cost of SB Energy's 9.2-gigawatt natural gas power plant on the site.
- 20-year lease ties OpenAI to the facility, which SB Energy will build and manage.
- 35,000 construction jobs through 2032 and 2,500 permanent positions, OpenAI says.
Why it matters: The Ohio deal is Nvidia's largest financing backstop to date and makes Nvidia the sole compute supplier at the site, locking in hardware sales at enormous scale.
- Natural gas prices could triple in some regions as new power plants compete with export markets.
- Nvidia says the deal is not circular financing, arguing OpenAI will pay the lease directly.
How 14 sources split on this story
Where they split: The core disagreement is whether Nvidia's financing role — simultaneously guaranteeing leases and selling chips to the same projects — constitutes circular or off-balance-sheet risk.
Center coverage, 8 sources: The center treats the deal as a significant but straightforward infrastructure milestone, noting circular-financing concerns while leading with the scale of investment and job projections.
CNBC1w+Nvidia financing initiative follows SEC guidance that takes sponsors off the hook for data center investments
Reuters1w+Nvidia aportará una garantía de 105.000 millones de dólares para el centro de datos de OpenAI en Ohio
Bloomberg1w+Nvidia to Invest Up to $105 Billion for OpenAI Data Center in Ohio
Financial Times1w+Nvidia to invest $100bn for OpenAI data centre in Ohio
Fortune1w+OpenAI data center deal with Nvidia comes in $145 billion lower than reported—signaling concerns of artificial demand for chips | FortuneIBTIBTimes1w+Nvidia Could Pour $3 Billion Into SoftBank's SB Energy. The Bigger OpenAI Deal Could Reach $100 Billion.
Semafor1w+Nvidia to provide up to $105 billion backstop for OpenAI data centerTCDThe Columbus Dispatch1w+OpenAI commits to massive buildout of Pike County data center campus.Left coverage, 3 sources: The left emphasizes energy-cost risks and the structural concerns of Nvidia financing the same companies buying its chips, framing the deal as a potential systemic vulnerability.
New York Post1w+Nvidia provides $105B in financing toward OpenAI's massive Ohio data center -- will be one of biggest in world
Washington Examiner1w+OpenAI and Nvidia join forces for new enormous Ohio data center
ZeroHedge1w+Nvidia Confirms It Will Back Massive 4.25GW SoftBank Data Center In Ohio For $105 BillionWhat’s next: Capacity comes online in phases starting in 2028; OpenAI pays only as capacity becomes available.
- SB Energy and SoftBank will invest at least $4.2 billion in regional grid infrastructure.
- Will regulators or investors scrutinize Nvidia's off-balance-sheet guarantees as they grow in scale?
- Can SB Energy's natural gas plant secure permits and financing at the projected $33 billion cost?
- How will tripling natural gas prices affect the long-term economics of the lease for OpenAI?