EdgeConneX data center campus in Ashville
EdgeConneX plans two data center buildings and its own gas power plant on about 195 acres in Ashville. The village approved the deal by emergency vote, but the Ohio Supreme Court said residents can seek a public vote on it.
Where things stand: Village approved a deal in April 2026. On Aug. 7, 2026 the Ohio Supreme Court ordered the village to send a referendum on the deal to the elections board, so voters may decide on Nov. 3, 2026.
🕒 Latest update (Aug 7, 2026): The Ohio Supreme Court unanimously ordered Ashville's fiscal officer to send the referendum petition to the Pickaway County Board of Elections.
What we know
- 📍 WhereAbout 195 acres on Route 752, inside village limits, Ashville, Pickaway County
- 🏢 CompanyEdgeConneX
- 🌳 Size195 acres
- 🔌 Where the power comes fromEdgeConneX's PowerConnex arm plans its own natural gas power plant on site, not tied to the grid ('behind the meter').
- 💸 Tax breaksEdgeConneX offered up to $102 million for Ashville, Harrison Township and Teays Valley schools.
❓ Still unanswered
Nobody has answered these in public yet. Can you help find out?
- Will the Ashville referendum on the EdgeConneX deal be on the Nov. 3, 2026 ballot? 🙋 I'll find out
- How big will the gas power plant be, and does it have an Ohio EPA air permit? 🙋 I'll find out
- How much water will the site use? 🙋 I'll find out
What happened so far
- Feb 2026Local officials denied annexing a 490-acre Harrison Township parcel for the project.
- April 2026Village Council passed Resolution 06-2026, lifting its data center pause, and approved the EdgeConneX deal.
- May 22, 2026Pickaway County Board of Elections certified 669 signatures for a referendum on the deal.
- June 2026The village fiscal officer rejected the referendum petition, calling the deal an emergency measure.
- July 2026Residents asked the Ohio Supreme Court to put the deal to a vote.
- Aug 7, 2026The Ohio Supreme Court unanimously ordered Ashville's fiscal officer to send the referendum petition to the Pickaway County Board of Elections.
Local votes and rules
🗳️ Public vote
Voters will decide whether to overturn the village council's April 2026 approval of a deal with developer EdgeConneX for two data center buildings and an 800-megawatt gas power plant. The Ohio Supreme Court ruled in August 2026 that the village could not use an 'emergency' label to block the vote. The county elections board still had to approve the petition.
⚖️ Court case
The Ohio Supreme Court ruled that Ashville did not give real reasons for calling its data center approval an 'emergency.' That means residents can try to put it to a public vote (referendum).
✅ Approved
Village council approved a deal (term summary) with developer EdgeConneX for two data center buildings and an 800-megawatt gas power plant. It was passed as an 'emergency' so it took effect right away.
⏸️ Pause on new data centers
Village council passed a six-month pause (moratorium) on new data centers in December 2025, then extended it. It is set to end in January 2027. A separate data center deal with EdgeConneX was approved in April 2026 and is headed to a referendum.
An aerial photo of the area.
Where this comes from
- Ashville showdown: locals drag blocked data center vote to Ohio's high court · Hoodline · July 2026
- Village must submit data center referendum to county board of elections · Court News Ohio (Supreme Court of Ohio) · Aug 7, 2026
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