Nvidia announced a $1.5 billion equity stake in SB Energy, the data‑center and power‑generation venture backed by SoftBank and OpenAI. As part of the deal Nvidia will become the exclusive provider of GPU‑based compute for the forthcoming OpenAI facility near Cincinnati, and will extend a credit facility of up to $105 billion to finance construction.
The planned campus can start at 4.25 GW of electrical draw and expand to 8 GW, supported by a 9.2 GW natural‑gas power plant to be built on a former DOE uranium‑enrichment site. The plant’s estimated cost is $33 billion, reflecting a 66 % rise in natural‑gas‑plant expenses over the last two years. Existing investors in SB Energy include SoftBank and OpenAI, with SoftBank having divested $5.8 billion of Nvidia shares in November to fund other AI initiatives.
- Investment: $1.5 B equity
- Credit line: up to $105 B
- Initial power capacity: 4.25 GW (expandable to 8 GW)
- Natural‑gas plant: 9.2 GW, $33 B cost
- Site: former DOE uranium enrichment land, Cincinnati area
Why this matters
The arrangement ties Nvidia’s hardware sales directly to a massive, purpose‑built power and compute infrastructure, potentially locking in long‑term demand for its GPUs while exposing the company to energy‑market volatility and regulatory scrutiny over fossil‑fuel expansion.