MARA $1.5B Long Ridge deal boosts power for AI data centers, BTC watch
Bitcoin miner MARA Holdings (MARA) agreed to buy Long Ridge Energy & Power for about $1.5B in Hannibal, Ohio. The deal includes a 505MW combined-cycle gas plant and 1,600 acres with water, fiber, fuel and grid access.
The transaction supports MARA’s shift toward AI data infrastructure. Management says power flow to the existing PJM grid will not be interrupted, while capacity is planned to scale to over 1GW to serve AI and other critical IT projects. Long Ridge is projected to add about $144M in annual adjusted EBITDA.
Timing matters for traders: construction is expected to start in 1H 2027, with initial capacity around mid-2028. MARA expects closing in 2H 2026 and will assume debt backed by a $785M bridge loan. In trading terms, the article notes BTC was consolidating around ~$78k with RSI in the low 60s, suggesting limited immediate market impact for BTC, but potentially improving miner economics as the power buildout progresses.
Neutral
Bullish catalysts are longer-dated: MARA’s $1.5B power buildout (up to >1GW) is intended to strengthen owned/operated generation and connectivity for AI-focused data infrastructure, which can improve miner economics over time. However, the immediate crypto price effect is likely limited because BTC was consolidating (RSI ~low 60s) and the key capacity additions are not scheduled until 2027–2028. Traders may react more to general “miner AI/power” sentiment near the announcement, but without near-term cash-flow impact, the net effect on BTC is better described as neutral.