WEST JEFFERSON, Ohio – A proposed $1 billion data center project in Central Ohio has been canceled due to power and energy limitations, according to 614NOW.
Sentinel Data Centers had planned to build the large-scale facility on 79 acres in West Jefferson. The project, presented to the village council in March, was expected to bring between 75 and 100 full-time jobs to the region.
However, growing strain on the local power grid forced the company to scrap the plan. According to Bloomberg News, data centers across the country are consuming massive amounts of electricity — so much that nearby residents in some areas have seen their energy bills skyrocket. In regions with dense data center development, wholesale electricity prices have surged up to 267% over the past five years, costs that are ultimately passed on to consumers.
The cancellation underscores a growing challenge for the tech industry: finding enough energy to power data-heavy operations like artificial intelligence and cloud computing without overloading local infrastructure.
