Portsmouth, OH — February 17, 2026 — U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday a landmark energy project in Portsmouth, Ohio, as part of a broader $36 billion Japanese investment in U.S. energy and industrial initiatives across Ohio, Texas, and Georgia.
The centerpiece of the plan is a $33 billion natural gas-fired power plant in southern Ohio, which, at 9.2 gigawatts, would become the largest facility of its kind in history. The project will be operated by SB Energy, a subsidiary of Japan’s SoftBank Group Corp., and is intended to bolster baseload power, strengthen grid reliability, and support manufacturing and AI data centers across the region.
“The Gas Power Plant in Ohio (A State I won THREE TIMES!) will be the largest in history,” Trump posted on Truth Social, emphasizing the role of tariffs in enabling the deal.
Investment Package
The Japanese investment also includes:
- A deepwater oil and liquefied natural gas project in Texas.
- A critical minerals and industrial diamond facility in Georgia.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick described the Ohio plant as a “key step to expand baseload power and provide affordable energy to support American manufacturing.”
Location and Context
The Portsmouth facility will be built on the site of the former Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant, a historic uranium enrichment site. The area has been the focus of long-term environmental remediation efforts, which has prompted concern among local residents and environmental advocates.
Criticisms and Concerns
Despite the project’s economic promise, the announcement has drawn criticism from environmental and community groups:
- Climate & Environment: Critics highlight that natural gas, primarily methane, is a potent greenhouse gas. Extraction via fracking can cause groundwater contamination and seismic activity.
- Public Health: Local advocates worry about adding industrial pollution to a region already dealing with historic radioactive contamination, cancer clusters, and high premature death rates.
- Economic & Regulatory Issues: Opponents note that the investment was tied to lowering Japanese import tariffs and that fast-tracked permitting may have bypassed critical environmental safeguards. Concerns also exist that future infrastructure costs could be passed to utility customers.
Legislative and Policy Context
The announcement comes amid broader administration efforts to accelerate domestic energy projects, including nuclear expansion, conversion of coal plants to natural gas, and regulatory rollbacks that streamline approval timelines.
While proponents tout the plant as a boon for jobs, energy stability, and U.S. industrial competitiveness, critics argue it poses long-term environmental and health risks, raising debate about the balance between economic growth and sustainable energy policy.
