Trump-Backed Ohio Gas Plant Poised to Be Largest Power Polluter in the U.S.

President Donald Trump’s ambitious proposal for a massive gas-fired power plant in Ohio is poised to become one of the largest sources of carbon dioxide emissions from electricity generation in the United States.

While specific details about the potential $33 billion development remain limited, it is expected to be spearheaded by SoftBank Group Corp. and is projected to have a capacity of 9.2 gigawatts, as indicated in a fact sheet from the U.S. Department of Commerce.

This capacity would position the project as the largest power plant in the U.S., according to BloombergNEF data, capable of supplying electricity to millions of homes while also having a significant impact on climate change.

SoftBank has opted not to comment on the proposal, and the Commerce Department has not yet responded to inquiries regarding the project.

Assuming the new plant operates at a capacity factor of 65% and utilizes typical combined-cycle gas turbine technology, it is estimated to emit approximately 19.4 million metric tons of carbon dioxide annually, according to Helen Kou, head of U.S. power analysis at BNEF. A separate estimate from the Rhodium Group suggests emissions could be around 16.2 million tons per year.

This latter figure is comparable to the emissions produced by 3.8 million gas-powered cars over a year of driving, as per the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator.

For context, the total emissions from the James H. Miller Jr. coal-fired plant in Alabama are about 16.6 million tons for 2023, according to EPA data.

The proposed gas plant is part of Japan’s commitment to invest $550 billion in the U.S. under a trade agreement established last year, furthering Trump’s agenda to revitalize and expand the fossil fuel industry. Recently, Trump directed the Pentagon to increase its coal power purchases, while the EPA has rolled back long-standing policies regulating greenhouse gas emissions.

A coalition of 29 environmental and advocacy groups issued a statement urging Japan to refrain from investing in or financing fossil fuel projects in the U.S.

While the introduction of more gas-fired power could potentially displace coal and contribute to lower emissions in the power sector, analysts like Nathalie Limandibhratha from BNEF suggest that the electricity generated from the proposed Ohio facility is more likely to meet growing demand, particularly as data centers expand faster than supply can keep up.

Ohio and surrounding states are part of the PJM Interconnection, a regional transmission organization experiencing significant growth in electricity demand. This increasing pressure is causing some coal generation to remain operational longer than anticipated and has sparked a surge in the development of new gas-fired capacity.

According to a report published on February 18 by BNEF in collaboration with the Business Council for Sustainable Energy, U.S. power generation reached its highest level in two decades last year, driven by increased demand from data centers and industry. Coal and gas together accounted for approximately 56% of U.S. electricity generation, while power sector emissions rose by 3.6% in 2025.

Copyright 2026 Bloomberg.

Topics
USA
Ohio

President Donald Trump’s ambitious proposal for a massive gas-fired power plant in Ohio is poised to become one of the largest sources of carbon dioxide emissions from electricity generation in the United States.

While specific details about the potential $33 billion development remain limited, it is expected to be spearheaded by SoftBank Group Corp. and is projected to have a capacity of 9.2 gigawatts, as indicated in a fact sheet from the U.S. Department of Commerce.

This capacity would position the project as the largest power plant in the U.S., according to BloombergNEF data, capable of supplying electricity to millions of homes while also having a significant impact on climate change.

SoftBank has opted not to comment on the proposal, and the Commerce Department has not yet responded to inquiries regarding the project.

Assuming the new plant operates at a capacity factor of 65% and utilizes typical combined-cycle gas turbine technology, it is estimated to emit approximately 19.4 million metric tons of carbon dioxide annually, according to Helen Kou, head of U.S. power analysis at BNEF. A separate estimate from the Rhodium Group suggests emissions could be around 16.2 million tons per year.

This latter figure is comparable to the emissions produced by 3.8 million gas-powered cars over a year of driving, as per the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator.

For context, the total emissions from the James H. Miller Jr. coal-fired plant in Alabama are about 16.6 million tons for 2023, according to EPA data.

The proposed gas plant is part of Japan’s commitment to invest $550 billion in the U.S. under a trade agreement established last year, furthering Trump’s agenda to revitalize and expand the fossil fuel industry. Recently, Trump directed the Pentagon to increase its coal power purchases, while the EPA has rolled back long-standing policies regulating greenhouse gas emissions.

A coalition of 29 environmental and advocacy groups issued a statement urging Japan to refrain from investing in or financing fossil fuel projects in the U.S.

While the introduction of more gas-fired power could potentially displace coal and contribute to lower emissions in the power sector, analysts like Nathalie Limandibhratha from BNEF suggest that the electricity generated from the proposed Ohio facility is more likely to meet growing demand, particularly as data centers expand faster than supply can keep up.

Ohio and surrounding states are part of the PJM Interconnection, a regional transmission organization experiencing significant growth in electricity demand. This increasing pressure is causing some coal generation to remain operational longer than anticipated and has sparked a surge in the development of new gas-fired capacity.

According to a report published on February 18 by BNEF in collaboration with the Business Council for Sustainable Energy, U.S. power generation reached its highest level in two decades last year, driven by increased demand from data centers and industry. Coal and gas together accounted for approximately 56% of U.S. electricity generation, while power sector emissions rose by 3.6% in 2025.

Copyright 2026 Bloomberg.

Topics
USA
Ohio