A proposed EdgeConneX data center in Pickaway County, Ohio, is facing criticism.

The company is considering building on 680 acres of farmland north of state Route 752 in the village of Ashville, located south of Columbus, the state capital.

The exact capacity of the proposed campus is unknown, but documents obtained by the Circleville Herald show that the site will see the construction of a 1.8GW substation and a 200MW gas turbine energy center.

The company is also currently seeking a 30-year full tax abatement for the campus, located north of State Route 752 toward Weigand Road.

Village administrator Bert Cline told WBNS that the company was currently working to annex part of the land, with construction ideally starting in spring of next year.

Residents have expressed their displeasure with the potential data center, citing concerns about increased utility bills, noise pollution, and their environmental impact.

Pickaway County is not known as a data center hotspot. Although AWS also purchased a plot of land in the county in April of last year, most of Ohio’s data centers are clustered around Columbus, with New Albany emerging as a prominent secondary market.

Founded in 2009, EdgeConneX has a global footprint of 80 data centers in operation or development across more than 50 markets across North America, Europe, APAC, and South America. The company was initially focused on smaller-scale data centers in the US, but has gradually expanded its scope and geography, moving into build-to-suit and hyperscale facilities.

The EQT-owned company doesn’t currently operate any facilities in Ohio, but is developing a site outside Columbus in New Albany. The company is converting an existing warehouse in to a data center and then building more facilities on adjacent land. That site is also set to feature a natural gas power plant.