Chesapeake Utilities Corporation Announces Agreement with American Electric Power for Natural Gas Pipeline in Central Ohio

Chesapeake Utilities Corporation, a diversified energy delivery company, has announced that its Ohio subsidiary, Aspire Energy Express, has entered into an agreement with American Electric Power to construct and operate an intrastate natural gas pipeline in central Ohio. The pipeline will serve a new fuel-cell facility, which will provide on-site electric power to a data center. This project is part of a growing trend in investments in data centers, with demand for distributed data infrastructure increasing rapidly. Aspire Energy Express will invest approximately $10 million in the new transmission infrastructure, which is expected to deliver reliable natural gas to power on-site electricity generation to the new data center in the first half of 2027.

Key Takeaways:

• Chesapeake Utilities Corporation's Ohio subsidiary, Aspire Energy Express, has entered into an agreement with American Electric Power to construct and operate an intrastate natural gas pipeline in central Ohio.
• The pipeline will serve a new fuel-cell facility that will provide on-site electric power to a data center.
• Aspire Energy Express will invest approximately $10 million in the new transmission infrastructure.
• The pipeline is expected to deliver reliable natural gas to power on-site electricity generation to the data center in the first half of 2027.
• This project is a key part of Chesapeake Utilities Corporation's growth strategy, leveraging its core capabilities in new business development, transmission project construction, and customer-focused energy solutions.
• American Electric Power is playing a leading role in supporting the development of data centers by providing solutions to customers to meet their increasing power requirements.

Statistics:

• The new Aspire Energy Express transmission infrastructure represents a capital investment of approximately $10 million.
• The pipeline is expected to deliver reliable natural gas to power on-site electricity generation to the data center in the first half of 2027.
• Chesapeake Utilities Corporation operates multiple energy infrastructure subsidiaries throughout its footprint, enabling the transmission and distribution of natural gas to end-use residential, commercial, and industrial customers.

Sources:

• Chesapeake Utilities Corporation
• American Electric Power
• Aspire Energy Express, LLC
• AEP news release dated July 8, 2025
• Chesapeake Utilities Corporation news release dated July 8, 2025
• Chesapeake Utilities Corporation website
• Aspire Energy Express website