AEP Ohio and an affiliate of data giant Meta are asking the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio to allow a Meta data center to use electricity from an unused substation built for the stalled Intel project in New Albany.
The Monday filing said under the proposed three-year agreement, Meta would temporarily draw power from the Green Chapel substation that was built to serve Intel's load and was finished earlier this year.
The request was made after Intel said in July that it was slowing construction of its two chip fabricating plants in New Albany, a $28-billion project.
Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan said at the time, "Over the past several years, the company invested too much, too soon – without adequate demand."
The plants had been slated to begin production in 2030 and 2031.
The AEP Ohio and Meta filing with the PUCO said that Intel's revised project schedule would result in a financial loss to AEP Ohio.
AEP Ohio said in a statement that under the terms of the agreement, Meta’s electric charges will cover the full cost of the Green Chapel substation over three years.
If the PUCO approves the agreement, AEP Ohio would construct four temporary power lines connecting the substation to Meta's nearby data center.
The service would run from Jan. 1, 2026 through Dec. 31, 2028.
"As part of the economic development deal that brought Intel to Licking County, the cost of Green Chapel substation would be recovered through rates paid by all AEP Ohio customers," AEP Ohio said.
"AEP Ohio built the Green Chapel substation for Intel. Unfortunately, Intel’s new timeline has led to the Green Chapel substation going unused. Under the new reasonable rate arrangement filed today by AEP Ohio and Meta, the substation will be used to bring power to Meta’s nearby data center for three years while Intel continues working to develop its facility," AEP Ohio said.
An Intel spokesperson said, “The proposal provides a productive solution that benefits the local community while ensuring sufficient power will be available to Intel in advance of our requirements for fab operations in Ohio.”
The filing said Meta has continued to grow its New Albany data campus over the years since announcing it would build in New Albany in 2017.
That has resulted in $1.5 billion in capital investments and 300 full-time jobs.
