Nvidia has announced a hefty $1.5 billion investment in SB Energy, the data center developer backing OpenAI's expansion plans. This move solidifies Nvidia as the sole supplier of computational infrastructure for the ambitious Ports-Pike facility near Cincinnati, Ohio. The project could eventually expand to an impressive 8 gigawatts, dwarfing current capacity.

Adding a significant layer of financial support, Nvidia is also providing up to $105 billion in credit to assist with construction. Meanwhile, SB Energy's portfolio already includes SoftBank and OpenAI among its investors. Notably, SoftBank previously offloaded its Nvidia stock holdings to fund further AI investments.

The project comes with a hefty price tag: the 9.2 gigawatt natural gas power plant on the site is expected to cost $33 billion. This substantial investment reflects the soaring costs of building such facilities—up by 66% in just two years, according to BloombergNEF.

The completion of these facilities could see them competing with export markets for natural gas, potentially tripling prices in certain regions. As AI's energy appetite grows, so does our reliance on its advancements—good luck, Earth!