10 GW Ohio AI Campus and $12B Meta Deal Signal Next Phase of U.S. Data Center Expansion

March saw major AI infrastructure commitments, land acquisitions, and leasing shifts as hyperscale data center expansion continued across the U.S.

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA, April 7, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Aterio, a provider of continuously updated U.S. data center intelligence, released its April 2026 US Datacenter Monthly industry update. The report summarizes major development activity observed during March 2026 across the United States, including large-scale AI infrastructure commitments, land acquisitions, leasing activity, and project execution updates.

Aterio publishes monthly industry updates informed by its daily-updated subscription dataset, which tracks every active, under-construction, and announced U.S. data center project nationwide.

MARCH 2026 DATA CENTER OVERVIEW

March activity reflected continued expansion in large-scale AI infrastructure across the United States, with multiple multi-gigawatt platforms advancing through land acquisition, leasing activity, and early-stage development.

At the same time, satellite observations and tenant shifts highlight how execution timing and operator alignment remain key variables for several large campuses as development moves from announcement to construction.

LARGE-SCALE AI INFRASTRUCTURE AND CAPACITY COMMITMENTS

SoftBank and SB Energy are developing a 10 GW AI data center platform at the former Department of Energy Portsmouth site in Piketon, Ohio. The project is supported by a $33 billion, 9.2 GW gas generation buildout financed under the U.S.–Japan trade framework. Phase 1, comprising approximately 800 MW, targets early 2028, with AEP Ohio leading approximately $4.2 billion in grid upgrades.

Nebius has secured a multi-location AI infrastructure agreement with Meta valued at approximately $12 billion in committed capacity. Deployments are expected to begin in 2027 and will be anchored by Vera Rubin systems.

Microsoft is set to anchor 1.35 GW of AI compute capacity at the Monarch campus in West Virginia, part of an approximately 8 GW platform now controlled by Nscale following its AIP acquisition.

LEASING AND OPERATOR SHIFTS

Microsoft has agreed to lease approximately 900 MW of data center capacity from Crusoe in Abilene, Texas, following Oracle’s exit from the planned Stargate campus expansion. The shift highlights continued demand for large-scale capacity as operators reposition across existing development pipelines.

LAND ACQUISITION AND CAMPUS DEVELOPMENT

Blackstone and QTS have secured approximately 1,700 acres in Salem Township, Pennsylvania, in a transaction valued at roughly $580 million. The planned campus, comprising 12 to 17 buildings, is supported by a PPL Corporation–Blackstone gas joint venture and approximately $6.8 billion in grid upgrades as part of Pennsylvania’s broader $90 billion infrastructure buildout.

Amazon has acquired approximately 1,300 acres near Boardman, Oregon for a proposed hyperscale campus targeting roughly 1 GW of capacity. The development is expected to include 16 to 20 buildings of approximately 250,000 square feet each, with an estimated total investment between $8 billion and $12 billion. The site is adjacent to Amazon’s existing three-building campus currently under construction.

Google has acquired land in Putnam County, West Virginia near Buffalo and secured approval for a high-impact development project. The campus remains in early stages with limited public disclosures, alongside commitments to 100 percent clean energy matching and water replenishment.

CAMPUS EXPANSION

Meta has expanded its El Paso, Texas data center campus from three to eleven buildings, increasing total investment from approximately $1.5 billion to $10 billion. The revision signals a shift toward a large-scale hyperscale AI deployment in the region.

PROJECT STATUS AND EXECUTION

Satellite imagery from March 2026 shows no visible construction activity at Joule Capital Partners’ 4,000-acre Delta, Utah campus following its November 2025 groundbreaking, which appears to have been limited to a ceremonial event rather than the start of active construction.

MARKET OUTLOOK

March developments highlight continued scaling of large AI-focused data center platforms, with major commitments, land acquisitions, and leasing activity driving capacity growth across multiple regions.

At the same time, construction timelines and tenant alignment remain uneven across projects, reinforcing the importance of tracking real-world progress alongside announced developments.

ABOUT ATERIO

Aterio provides real-time intelligence on U.S. data center development, energy demand from AI infrastructure, and hyperscale campus expansion. Its continuously updated subscription dataset tracks every active, under-construction, and announced data center project across the United States.

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