AEP Ohio Partners to Bring $4.2B in New Electric Infrastructure in Appalachian Ohio Without Raising Customer Rates

GAHANNA, Ohio, March 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Department of Energy, SB Energy and AEP Ohio today announced planned multi-billion-dollar investments in advanced digital and energy infrastructure to support data center growth and drive economic development in Appalachian Ohio. The investments, when approved, will include new 765-kilovolt (kV) electric transmission infrastructure to serve data center development at the site of the former gaseous diffusion plant in Piketon, Ohio. A 10-gigawatt data center campus is planned for the site. SB Energy is committed to paying for the $4.2 billion in new transmission investments to help avoid increases to transmission rates for Ohio residents. AEP Ohio expects power to begin flowing to the site in 2029.