{
  "schema_version": "0.1",
  "last_reviewed": "2026-09-10",
  "editorial_note": "This is a reviewed claim-and-inference desk, not an automated news feed. A published claim and an inference tested are explicitly distinguished; a verdict applies only to the wording shown and evidence reviewed on the stated date.",
  "verdict_vocabulary": {
    "not-reconstructed": "Published number lacks an independently reconstructed denominator.",
    "overstated-inference": "The evidence supports a narrower statement than the inference tested.",
    "unit-correction": "The underlying figure exists but has been described with the wrong unit or category.",
    "relationship-correction": "The relationship between entities, infrastructure or contracts has been misstated.",
    "projection-not-outcome": "A future estimate or commitment is not a measured result.",
    "draft-not-final": "A proposal or draft is not final authorization or observed activity.",
    "evidence-incomplete": "The cited evidence does not resolve the broader conclusion.",
    "company-claim-unverified": "A first-party claim lacks the independent records needed to test the outcome."
  },
  "claims": [
    {
      "id": "ohio-count-200",
      "topic": "Statewide count",
      "framing": "published claim",
      "claim": "Ohio has more than 200 data centers.",
      "verdict": "Not independently reconstructed",
      "verdict_code": "not-reconstructed",
      "finding": "Ohio's consumer advocate repeats a commercial directory count. It is useful as a market signal, but the underlying unit can include buildings, suites and campuses and is not a state census. DataCenterData does not adopt 200+ as its own count.",
      "source_examined": {"title": "Ohio Consumers' Counsel quick facts", "url": "https://occ.ohio.gov/factsheet/quick-facts-data-centers-ohio"},
      "evidence_source": {"title": "DataCenterData Ohio coverage definition", "url": "/ohio/#coverage"}
    },
    {
      "id": "aep-ratepayer-protection",
      "topic": "Power / rates",
      "framing": "inference tested",
      "claim": "Treating Ohio's 85% data-center tariff as proof that residents cannot be affected by data-center-driven power costs.",
      "verdict": "Overstated",
      "verdict_code": "overstated-inference",
      "finding": "The PUCO-approved AEP Ohio tariff allocates substantial underuse and cancellation risk to new loads over 25 MW. That is real protection against stranded distribution investment; it is not proof that generation, transmission or wholesale-market costs can never affect household bills.",
      "source_examined": {"title": "Ohio Consumers' Counsel quick facts", "url": "https://occ.ohio.gov/factsheet/quick-facts-data-centers-ohio"},
      "evidence_source": {"title": "AEP Ohio Schedule DCT terms", "url": "https://www.aepohio.com/company/about/rates/data-center-tariff/"}
    },
    {
      "id": "new-albany-payroll-equivalent",
      "topic": "Taxes / jobs",
      "framing": "unit distinction",
      "claim": "Reading New Albany's $178 million payroll-equivalent figure as actual operator payroll.",
      "verdict": "Wrong unit",
      "verdict_code": "unit-correction",
      "finding": "The city calls $178 million a payroll equivalent: the amount of payroll that would yield the same revenue at its 2% income-tax rate. It is not the operator's payroll or an employee count.",
      "source_examined": {"title": "New Albany city-finance page", "url": "https://datacenters.newalbanyohio.org/city-finances/"},
      "evidence_source": {"title": "DataCenterData New Albany ledger", "url": "/projects/new-albany/"}
    },
    {
      "id": "ohio-data-centers-no-taxes",
      "topic": "Taxes / incentives",
      "framing": "inference tested",
      "claim": "Reading Ohio's equipment sales-and-use-tax exemption as meaning a qualifying project pays no taxes.",
      "verdict": "Overstated",
      "verdict_code": "overstated-inference",
      "finding": "Ohio Revised Code §122.175 authorizes a complete or partial sales-and-use-tax exemption for qualifying data-center equipment. It does not by itself erase payroll withholding, all real-property taxes, local charges or negotiated payments. The net fiscal result must be reconstructed agreement by agreement.",
      "source_examined": {"title": "Ohio data-center tax-exemption statute", "url": "https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-122.175"},
      "evidence_source": {"title": "New Albany city-finance explanation", "url": "https://datacenters.newalbanyohio.org/city-finances/"}
    },
    {
      "id": "meta-nuclear-direct",
      "topic": "Power source",
      "framing": "relationship tested",
      "claim": "Reading Meta's nuclear agreements as dedicated plants directly wired to the New Albany campus.",
      "verdict": "Wrong relationship",
      "verdict_code": "relationship-correction",
      "finding": "Meta says the agreements will deliver power to regional grids supporting its operations. New Albany says the campus draws from the regional grid. That is different from a dedicated wire or plant serving only the data center.",
      "source_examined": {"title": "Meta nuclear-energy announcement", "url": "https://about.fb.com/news/2026/01/meta-nuclear-energy-projects-power-american-ai-leadership/"},
      "evidence_source": {"title": "City of New Albany statement", "url": "https://newalbanyohio.org/news/2026/01/statement-regarding-metas-nuclear-energy-projects/"}
    },
    {
      "id": "microsoft-jobs-now",
      "topic": "Jobs / timing",
      "framing": "projection distinction",
      "claim": "Treating Microsoft's roughly 50 operating employees per facility as current observed employment across three sites.",
      "verdict": "Projection, not outcome",
      "verdict_code": "projection-not-outcome",
      "finding": "Microsoft projects about 50 employees per facility once operational and says three facilities are to be operational by the end of 2029. Current construction activity and modeled jobs are not observed permanent operating headcount.",
      "source_examined": {"title": "Microsoft Licking County impact brief", "url": "https://local.microsoft.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Economic-Impact_LickingCountyOH_FY26Q4.pdf"},
      "evidence_source": {"title": "Microsoft Heath construction update", "url": "https://local.microsoft.com/blog/heath-datacenter-construction-updates/"}
    },
    {
      "id": "ohio-water-permit",
      "topic": "Water / permits",
      "framing": "document-status distinction",
      "claim": "Treating Ohio EPA's draft general permit as final blanket permission or proof of actual discharge.",
      "verdict": "Draft, not final or measured",
      "verdict_code": "draft-not-final",
      "finding": "The reviewed Ohio EPA document is a draft general permit. Its existence is not proof of a final authorization, actual discharge or site compliance; covered facilities would still need authorization and would be subject to effluent, monitoring and receiving-water conditions.",
      "source_examined": {"title": "Ohio EPA NPDES general permits", "url": "https://epa.ohio.gov/divisions-and-offices/surface-water/permitting/npdes-general-permits"},
      "evidence_source": {"title": "Ohio EPA draft OHD000001", "url": "https://dam.assets.ohio.gov/image/upload/epa.ohio.gov/Portals/35/permits/Data_Centers/OHD000001_Draft.pdf"}
    },
    {
      "id": "new-albany-water-capacity",
      "topic": "Water / capacity",
      "framing": "inference tested",
      "claim": "Treating New Albany's no-additional-capacity statement as proof that facility-level water impact is negligible.",
      "verdict": "Evidence incomplete",
      "verdict_code": "evidence-incomplete",
      "finding": "The city says it has not needed additional water capacity because of data centers. That does not provide facility-level withdrawals, consumption, discharge, potable/reclaimed shares or peak-day demand. Those remain evidence gaps.",
      "source_examined": {"title": "City of New Albany data-center information", "url": "https://datacenters.newalbanyohio.org/"},
      "evidence_source": {"title": "DataCenterData water field definitions", "url": "/water/"}
    },
    {
      "id": "millersport-rate-impact",
      "topic": "Power / developer claim",
      "framing": "published company claim",
      "claim": "The natural-gas power facility described as adjacent to Vantage's planned Millersport campus means the campus will not affect electricity costs for local residents or businesses.",
      "verdict": "Company claim; outcome unverified",
      "verdict_code": "company-claim-unverified",
      "finding": "The campus page makes the claim and identifies adjacent natural-gas generation. Testing it requires the final generation, interconnection, backup-power, fuel, transmission and cost-allocation records; a project description alone cannot establish future bill effects.",
      "source_examined": {"title": "Vantage Millersport campus", "url": "https://vantagemillersportcampus.com/"},
      "evidence_source": {"title": "AEP Ohio data-center tariff", "url": "https://www.aepohio.com/company/about/rates/data-center-tariff/"}
    }
  ]
}