What's being built on Mink Street? A 500 MW gas plant, and state staff name a Meta affiliate

A viewer asked us what is being built on Mink Street in Jersey Township, Licking County. Here is what the public record says, and what it does not.

- The case: Will-Power OH, LLC, "a wholly owned subsidiary of the Williams Companies," has applied to the Ohio Power Siting Board for the Neo Power Generation Project, case 26-627-EL-BGN (filed June 2026).
- Where: "south of Jug Street, east of Mink Street and north of Beaver Road NW," Jersey Township (the application).
- What: a nominal 500-megawatt "behind the meter" natural gas plant (27 turbines and 4 reciprocating engines) plus a 260-megawatt battery.
- Water from the Licking Regional Water District; "No groundwater well installation or use is proposed."
- About 20 full-time employees once running. Construction planned from January 2027, full output by December 2028.
- 22 homes within 1,000 feet of the fence line; 4 within 1,000 feet of the generating equipment (the application).
- Who it is for: the board's notice says "an adjacent data center." The application (June): "The Applicant is not providing details regarding the identity of the Customer or specifics of its facility at the time of this filing." The board staff's report (Oct. 1, p. 6): "Sidecat, LLC ('Sidecat' or 'customer') is an affiliate of Meta Platforms, Inc. Sidecat would be the customer of the Applicant's electric power generation."
- The land: the Licking County Auditor lists the two parcels there (131.6 and 48.97 acres) under Sidecat LLC, care of "Facebook Tax Dept," 1 Meta Way, Menlo Park, Calif., bought together on Dec. 29, 2025 for $72,184,400. The application says the plant parcel will be owned or controlled by Will-Power before construction. The staff report (p. 6) says Sidecat "owns the industrial property next to the approximate 130-acre parcel on which the project would be located."
- Staff's recommendation (Oct. 1, p. 1): Staff "recommends that the Board approve the Applicant's request for a certificate of environmental compatibility and public need subject to the proposed conditions contained in this report." Williams' permitting manager testified Oct. 9 that it "is generally amenable to the recommended Conditions" and is negotiating a joint stipulation with staff and the intervenors. The board has not decided.
- What the company says: the plant "enables economic development to continue unabated in central Ohio without impacting ratepayers."
- We asked Williams and Meta for comment on Oct. 10, 2026. Williams (Kyle Tarpley, Williams Media Relations, Oct. 16), on the record: "Our Neo project has been designed with advanced and best available emissions-control technologies. Additionally, air emissions, noise and water impacts associated with the proposed Neo facility are all subject to strict regulatory review and permitting requirements. We strongly support community engagement and public participation, including hearings and opportunities for written feedback." Meta had not replied by our deadline, 5 p.m. Oct. 16, 2026.

So: a gas plant and a battery for a data center next door, on land the county lists under a Meta company, and the board's staff names the customer as Sidecat, a Meta affiliate.

The board's evidentiary hearing was set for Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026, 10 a.m., Public Utilities Commission of Ohio offices, 180 E. Broad St., Columbus. At it, "the applicant, OPSB staff, and intervening parties will offer expert testimony and evidence." Filings: opsb.ohio.gov, case 26-627-EL-BGN. We checked the case file on Oct. 16, 2026, and read the application, the staff report and the applicant's testimony of Oct. 9.

Sources:
- Will-Power OH, LLC, Application to the Ohio Power Siting Board, Neo Power Generation Project, case 26-0627-EL-BGN, June 2026 (pp. 1, 2, 5, 8, 10, 15, 17, 20, 37, 112): opsb.ohio.gov, case 26-627-EL-BGN
- Ohio Power Siting Board Staff Report of Investigation, Neo Power Generation Facility, case 26-0627-EL-BGN, Oct. 1, 2026 (pp. 1, 6): opsb.ohio.gov, case 26-627-EL-BGN
- Direct testimony of Tara Meek on behalf of Will-Power OH, LLC, Oct. 9, 2026 (A.18)
- Licking County Auditor parcel records, parcels 037-111516-00.002 and 037-110526-00.004 (read Oct. 2026)
- Satellite image: contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data 2026 (Sentinel-2, Sept. 25, 2026)

Do you live near the site? What do you know about it? Tell us in the comments. Follow us to hear what the board decides.