Nvidia's $105bn arrangement with OpenAI for the PORTS-Pike data centre campus in Ohio is a residual value guarantee, not a direct backstop of OpenAI's rent. Nvidia promises to cover only the shortfall if SB Energy's finished buildings can't be relet or sold after an OpenAI default, capped at $105bn and only for completed structures. In exchange, Nvidia becomes exclusive chip supplier for the first phase and takes an equity stake in SB Energy. The size of the guarantee shrank from an initially discussed $250bn across all 10 gigawatts to the current filed figure covering only the 4.25-gigawatt first phase. Nothing at the site is operational yet; first power is expected in 2028, with the full buildout planned through 2032.
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What Nvidia actually promisedThe number that fell, and the one that was halved9.2 gigawatts of gas on a uranium siteNone of it is builtQuestions this post answers
What exactly does Nvidia's $105 billion guarantee for OpenAI's Ohio data center cover?
It covers the residual value of the completed data center buildings at the PORTS-Pike Technology Campus, not OpenAI's rent payments. Payment only triggers if OpenAI defaults or becomes insolvent, and only after SB Energy fails to relet or sell the site at market price. The cumulative obligation is capped at $105bn and applies only to finished buildings, not construction in progress. Track how AI infrastructure financing deals like this reshape chip and cloud roadmaps on daily.dev.
Why did Nvidia's OpenAI data center guarantee shrink from $250 billion to $105 billion?
Nvidia initially discussed a guarantee across all 10 gigawatts of the Ohio campus, worth roughly $250bn, which caused its shares to fall 5%. It later halved that figure, and the final filed guarantee covers only the initial 4.25 IT-gigawatt phase at $105bn, with an option to extend to the remaining 3.75 gigawatts later. Follow evolving AI compute financing terms like this to gauge risk before betting on a vendor's roadmap, on daily.dev.
When will the first power come online at OpenAI's PORTS-Pike data center campus in Ohio?
The first 800 megawatts are expected in 2028, largely using existing AEP Ohio infrastructure. Everything beyond that requires new power plants, transmission lines, permits, environmental reviews, and financing, with OpenAI's full six-year buildout targeted for completion by 2032. Keep tabs on infrastructure timelines like this when planning dependence on large-scale AI compute, via daily.dev.