Socrates South is a 200 MW natural-gas power plant built for one purpose: to power a Meta-affiliated data center without touching the public grid in Ohio.
The project is being developed by Will-Power OH, a subsidiary of The Williams Companies, and exclusively serves a neighboring data center owned by Sidecat LLC, an affiliate of Meta Platforms. It is part of the broader Socrates Power Solution Facilities initiative, which includes both Socrates South and a mirror Socrates North facility, for a combined 400 MW of on-site generation.
The plant sits on a 20-acre parcel inside the 740-acre New Albany Business Park in Licking County. This is already a dense data-center corridor with multiple Meta facilities, so the project is additive, not disruptive. Construction began in June 2025, with completion targeted for November 2026 and commercial operation before year-end.
Why this plant exists
At an estimated $1.6 billion, Socrates South is designed to support Meta’s AI and high-performance compute expansion, including infrastructure tied to its Prometheus-scale AI efforts. Williams frames the project as part of Ohio’s emergence as a major AI and data-center hub, citing construction jobs and long-term operations roles, though detailed job counts have not been disclosed.
Key milestones:
- Public outreach began Q1 2025
- Ohio Power Siting Board application and approval in Q2 2025
- Construction started Q2 2025
- In-service targeted for Q3 2026
Behind-the-meter by design
Socrates South operates entirely behind the meter. It is not connected to the public electric grid and does not export power. The plant exists solely to serve the adjacent data center load.
Fuel is pipeline natural gas, delivered via two new 24-inch pipelines (to be permitted separately). Reliability is engineered using an N+1+1 model, allowing continuous operation with maintenance windows planned rather than reactive.
The generation stack is intentionally hybrid to balance efficiency and fast-start capability:
- 3 × Solar Titan 250 turbines (23 MW each)
- 9 × Solar Titan 130 turbines (16.5 MW each)
- 3 × Siemens SGT-400 turbines (14.3 MW each)
- 15 × Caterpillar 3520 reciprocating engines (3.1 MW each)
- Space reserved for a mobile Solar SMT 130 turbine
- 8 × Caterpillar C15 diesel generators (500 kW each) for black-start and emergency use
This mix prioritizes rapid response to variable AI workloads while leaning on natural gas as the least carbon-intensive fossil option available at this scale.
Why approval was unusually smooth
The project was approved by the Ohio Power Siting Board on June 9, 2025 (Case 25-0185-EL-BLN). In Ohio, OPSB jurisdiction overrides local zoning for generation facilities over 50 MW, which removes most municipal friction.
Several factors kept this project from becoming controversial:
- The site is already industrial and data-center-oriented. No rezoning was required.
- Because the plant is off-grid, it does not affect local electric rates or grid reliability.
- OPSB oversight focuses on siting and environmental compliance rather than local land-use politics.
- The surrounding community is already accustomed to hyperscale infrastructure.
There is no evidence of significant resident opposition or organized protest tied to Socrates South. Williams conducted early outreach and emphasized safety and economic benefits, but more importantly, the project avoided the usual flashpoints: water stress, grid strain, and residential proximity.
That stands in contrast to Meta-related developments in other states where public backlash has centered on noise, water consumption, and rising utility costs. Socrates South’s isolated, dedicated-power model largely sidesteps those issues by design.
Project Timeline for Socrates South Data Center Power Generation Facility
Here’s a chronological timeline of key events for the Socrates South project, based on available public records and announcements. This is compiled from regulatory filings, company statements, and news reports. Note that timelines can shift due to construction variables, but as of January 3, 2026, the project is reportedly on track with construction underway.
- Q1 2025 (January–March): Williams Companies initiates public outreach and community engagement for the Socrates Power Solution Facilities (including South and North sites). This includes informational sessions and feedback channels to address local concerns.
- Q2 2025 (April–June): Will-Power OH submits application to the Ohio Power Siting Board (OPSB) for approval. OPSB reviews the project under case 25-0185-EL-BLN, focusing on environmental, siting, and public need aspects.
- June 9, 2025: OPSB approves the construction of the 200 MW natural gas-fired power plant. This greenlights the project as a behind-the-meter facility exclusively for Meta’s adjacent data center.
- Q3 2025 (July–September): Construction commences on the 20-acre site in New Albany Business Park, Licking County, Ohio. This includes site preparation, equipment installation (e.g., gas turbines and engines), and infrastructure for natural gas pipelines.
- Ongoing (2025–2026): Separate approvals sought for two 24-inch natural gas pipelines to supply fuel. Community monitoring and safety protocols are implemented, with no major reported delays or opposition as of early 2026.
- Q3 2026 (July–September): Targeted completion of construction, with full operational testing.
- November 2026: Facility expected to be fully completed and ready for service, providing dedicated power to Meta’s data center.
- Before End of 2026: Operations begin, supporting Meta’s AI and data processing needs with high-reliability, off-grid power generation.
Project Timeline for Socrates South Data Center Power Generation Facility
Here’s a chronological timeline of key events for the Socrates South project, based on available public records and announcements. This is compiled from regulatory filings, company statements, and news reports. Note that timelines can shift due to construction variables, but as of January 3, 2026, the project is reportedly on track with construction underway.
- Q1 2025 (January–March): Williams Companies initiates public outreach and community engagement for the Socrates Power Solution Facilities (including South and North sites). This includes informational sessions and feedback channels to address local concerns.
- Q2 2025 (April–June): Will-Power OH submits application to the Ohio Power Siting Board (OPSB) for approval. OPSB reviews the project under case 25-0185-EL-BLN, focusing on environmental, siting, and public need aspects.
- June 9, 2025: OPSB approves the construction of the 200 MW natural gas-fired power plant. This greenlights the project as a behind-the-meter facility exclusively for Meta’s adjacent data center.
- Q3 2025 (July–September): Construction commences on the 20-acre site in New Albany Business Park, Licking County, Ohio. This includes site preparation, equipment installation (e.g., gas turbines and engines), and infrastructure for natural gas pipelines.
- Ongoing (2025–2026): Separate approvals sought for two 24-inch natural gas pipelines to supply fuel. Community monitoring and safety protocols are implemented, with no major reported delays or opposition as of early 2026.
- Q3 2026 (July–September): Targeted completion of construction, with full operational testing.
- November 2026: Facility expected to be fully completed and ready for service, providing dedicated power to Meta’s data center.
- Before End of 2026: Operations begin, supporting Meta’s AI and data processing needs with high-reliability, off-grid power generation.
Table of Resources Used
Below is a comprehensive table listing all the resources I referenced or drew from in compiling information on the Socrates South project. This includes web search results, X posts, and any relevant past conversation snippets (though none directly matched this specific project in prior chats). Each entry includes the source type, title or description, URL (where applicable), publication date (if available), and a brief snippet for context. These were used to verify facts, timelines, and details without assuming prior knowledge.
| Title/Description | URL | Published Date | Key Snippet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Socrates Power Solution Facilities – Williams Companies | https://www.williams.com/expansion-project/socrates-power-solution-facilities/ | N/A | Will-Power’s proposed Socrates North and South projects are advanced power generation facilities in New Albany, Ohio, spanning approximately 20 acres each. |
| Frontier Data Center Timelines – Epoch AI | https://epoch.ai/data/data_centers/data_center_timelines.csv | Nov 23, 2025 | … Project Rainier New Carlisle Indiana,Land clearing begins in the northern section,0.0,0.0,0,0.0,0.0,0.0,,,,0 2024-06-10,Anthropic-Amazon Project … (Note: Broad data center timeline dataset; indirect reference to similar projects.) |
| Ohio regulators approve construction of 200MW gas power plant to serve Meta data center in New Albany, Ohio | https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/ohio-regulators-approve-construction-of-200mw-gas-power-plant-to-serve-meta-data-center-in-new-albany-ohio/ | Jun 10, 2025 | Construction on the power plant is slated to commence in Q3 2025, with an estimated completion date in Q3 2026. |
| New 200-MW Gas-Fired Plant in Ohio Will Power Meta Data Center | https://www.powermag.com/new-200-mw-gas-fired-plant-in-ohio-will-power-meta-data-center/ | Jun 10, 2025 | The Ohio Power Siting Board (OPSB) on June 9 gave the go-ahead for the Socrates South Power Generation Project in New Albany. |
| New Albany data centers hope to provide their own electricity – NBC4 | https://www.nbc4i.com/intel-in-ohio/new-albany-data-centers-hope-to-provide-their-own-electricity/ | Sep 17, 2025 | According to state permit filings, the Socrates South project hopes to be completed by November 2026. |
| Tracking gas plants, from Socrates to Plato to Licking County – Halcyon | https://halcyon.io/blog/machine-readable/tracking-gas-plants | Jun 12, 2025 | On Monday June 9th, the Ohio Power Siting Board approved the application of the Socrates South Power Generation Project. |
| OPSB approves construction of Licking County natural gas-fired power plant | https://opsb.ohio.gov/news/opsb-approves-construction-of-licking-county-natural-gas-fired-power-plant | Jun 9, 2025 | The OPSB recently created a new online mapping tool that illustrates the location of the Socrates South project. |
| Williams pushes deeper into power generation as data center demand accelerates | https://www.power-eng.com/gas/williams-pushes-deeper-into-power-generation-as-data-center-demand-accelerates/ | Nov 6, 2025 | We previously reported the two Socrates sites will provide a combined 400 MW of onsite power for a Meta-affiliated data center campus. |
| Ohio approves $1.6B gas plant for Meta data center – LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/posts/marklewis8_200-mw-btm-gas-fired-plant-in-ohio-will-power-activity-7338419035610484737-OJo4 | Jun 10, 2025 | 200-MW BTM Gas-Fired Plant in Ohio Will Power Meta Data Center, a $1.6-Billion Investment. |
| Post by LWS Financial Research (@lwsresearch) on X | N/A (Post ID: 1932130855146623093) | Jun 9, 2025 | Will-Power OH, a unit of Williams Companies $WMB, received approval to build the 200 MW Socrates South gas-fired power plant in New Albany, Ohio. The facility will operate off-grid, directly powering a Meta $META data center. |
