Google is adding 2 new data centers in central Ohio

COLUMBUS, OH – Google announced Wednesday that it is adding two more data centers in central Ohio.

One of the centers will be built in Lancaster and the other on South High Street in south Columbus, the company said. With the new Albany now open, the number of Google data centers in Ohio has grown to three.

Gov. Mike DeWine, Congressmen Troy Balderson and Mike Kerry, and Ohio Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Steve Stivers attend the public announcement along with Google executives.

“Ohio is a growing technology hub and data center market, and we welcome these two new Google projects in Columbus and Lancaster to complement the project we already have in New Albany,” DeWine said in a statement. “Google joins a growing number of companies recognizing that Ohio is a great place to live, work and raise a family.”

Google says construction is underway at sites in Columbus and Lancaster. Once completed, the data centers will help power innovation and artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as Search, Gmail and Maps.

Since the company opened its first data center in Ohio in 2019, Google said it has invested more than $2 billion in the state. Google added that it generated nearly $13 billion in economic activity for businesses and nonprofits.

“Technology is helping to grow Ohio’s economy. The data centers announced today will help improve Google’s tools for users across the country and around the world,” said Mark Issakovitz, Ohio native and Google’s vice president of government affairs and public policy. “We are proud to partner with the state and local communities to advance the state as a technology hub.”

Ohio is experiencing a wave of major investment from the tech industry.

Intel builds a A $20 billion chip factory east of Columbus, while Honda and South Korea’s LG Energy Solution are building a $3.5 billion battery plant between Columbus and Cincinnati, which the automaker sees as the North American electric vehicle center.

The area around Columbus is also home to the data centers it operates Facebook and Amazon.

Data centers have proliferated in the US and have become a desirable source of revenue for local governments. They also require large amounts of electricity and high-voltage transmission lines.

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