STRATTON, Ohio — New public records and redevelopment documents are continuing to shed light on what could become one of the largest industrial and technology redevelopment projects in the Ohio Valley.
The former W.H. Sammis Power Plant property in Jefferson County is actively being transformed into a future energy and data center campus by Texas-based ETEM (Energy Transition and Environmental Management), according to information released through state and local agencies.
ETEM acquired the more than 1,000-acre former coal-fired power plant property from Energy Harbor in 2023 and has since been conducting environmental remediation, demolition, and redevelopment planning activities across the site.
Recently circulated conceptual site layouts appear to outline plans for:
- Large-scale onsite power generation
- Multiple 200-megawatt data center facilities
- Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS)
- Rail- and river-supported infrastructure
- Major electrical transmission and fiber connectivity
- Hundreds of acres designated for future industrial expansion
Additional confirmation of the project’s progress emerged through the Ohio Brownfield Remediation Program.
In May 2026, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel, and Ohio Department of Development Director Lydia Mihalik announced $61 million in statewide brownfield redevelopment grants spanning 75 counties.
Included in the announcement was a $300,000 assessment grant awarded to the Jefferson County Port Authority for the “ETEM Sammis Plant Site Assessment.”
According to the Ohio Department of Development, the funding will support:
- Extensive Phase II environmental investigation activities
- A groundwater classification study
- A limited human-health risk assessment
- Preparation of a Phase II compliance report
- Development of a Remedial Action Plan
State officials said the assessment work is intended to support “ongoing demolition and site preparation efforts for future industrial redevelopment.”
Project documents also state the redevelopment effort is expected to create approximately 220 new jobs.
Public information released by ETEM indicates the company envisions transforming the former power plant into a modern energy and technology campus capable of supporting advanced industrial operations and future data center demand driven by artificial intelligence and cloud computing infrastructure.
The Sammis property already contains substantial electrical transmission capacity, river access, rail access, and existing industrial infrastructure — factors that have become increasingly valuable as major technology and AI companies search for sites capable of supporting large-scale computing operations.
Online discussions in recent days have also referenced potential natural gas generation facilities and additional surrounding development tied to the project. However, River News has not independently confirmed final construction timelines, future tenants, or exact project phases beyond publicly released redevelopment materials and state grant documentation.
Still, the combination of state-backed remediation funding, active environmental assessments, ongoing demolition work, public redevelopment plans, conceptual site layouts, and existing utility infrastructure indicates the redevelopment effort is moving well beyond speculation.
If completed at the scale currently envisioned, the former Sammis site could become one of the largest energy and technology redevelopment projects in the Ohio Valley in decades.
River News will continue monitoring future filings, public meetings, and official announcements related to the redevelopment project.
