Williams Develops 400 MW of Planned Gas Generation for New Albany Data-Center Demand

Williams is developing two gas-generation facilities, Socrates North and Socrates South, in New Albany, Ohio, for growing data-center power demand. Their combined planned capacity is 400 MW.

The development reflects a broader push by data-center projects to secure dedicated energy infrastructure as grid constraints affect the availability and timing of conventional utility interconnections. Greylock Energy said it is receiving inquiries from prospective data-center developments on dedicated gas infrastructure on an almost weekly basis.

For operators and developers, local gas generation and direct gas supply may be considered alongside grid interconnection where reliable power must be available on a faster development schedule. This can expand infrastructure requirements beyond generation equipment to gas transportation, compression, metering and associated services.

The demand backdrop is substantial. U.S. data centers consumed an estimated 176 TWh of electricity in 2023, equivalent to about 4.4% of total U.S. electricity consumption. Their share could reach approximately 11.8% by 2030, with an estimated range of 9.5% to 15.3% depending on assumptions around server deployment, efficiency and cooling.

Williams' 400 MW figure is a planned combined capacity for the two Socrates projects, rather than commissioned capacity. No construction timetable, in-service date, investment level, individual project specifications or fuel-supply terms were disclosed.