PJ​M Interconnection is preparing a transmission and generation study for the PORTS‑Pike Technology Campus, a SoftBank‑backed artificial‑intelligence data‑center complex slated for Pike County, Ohio.

SB Energy, SoftBank’s energy arm, has pledged to fund the generation, power‑delivery infrastructure and network upgrades required for the campus, regardless of the actual electricity consumed.

The study agreement, filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on 13 October 2026, follows Ohio’s request to use the state‑agreement approach for evaluating the project’s grid impact.

PJ​M will examine whether AEP Ohio’s proposed 765‑kV lines can accommodate the campus’s load and whether additional network upgrades are needed to protect reliability for other customers.

An initial 800‑MW phase will be supplied under AEP Ohio’s data‑center tariff, while the broader study covers an extra 9.6 GW of demand and about 10.2 GW of new gas‑fired capacity through 2032.

SB Energy also intends to make any surplus generation and transmission capacity available to the wider PJ​M grid, a move aimed at limiting cost shifts to residential and commercial consumers.

Final cost‑allocation and recovery mechanisms will still require review by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio and FERC, as the study does not itself set rates or grant interconnection rights.