Pennsylvania Explores Using Abandoned Mines for Data Centers
Researchers in Pennsylvania are exploring the use of abandoned coal mines to house new data centers, aiming to address environmental concerns and local opposition associated with traditional development sites. This approach could utilize underground mine pools for cooling and repurpose existing infrastructure, while also assisting with mine reclamation costs. However, challenges include uncertain mapping of mine pools, potential for new chemical reactions, and the need for significant power grid upgrades.
Pennsylvania is investigating a novel approach to data center development: repurposing thousands of abandoned coal mines across the state. This initiative aims to address growing local opposition to data centers, driven by concerns over noise, air pollution, excessive energy and water consumption, and the loss of open land. Researchers, including Zhongyang He from Penn State’s Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering, suggest that building data centers on these polluted mine lands could utilize unwanted acreage, leverage underground mine pools for cooling, and potentially contribute to the $5 billion needed for statewide mine reclamation.
There are existing examples of such projects, including Iron Mountain’s West Pennsylvania data center in Boyers, which has operated in a former limestone mine since 2013, using a 100-acre underground lake for cooling. Other proposed projects include a data center at the former Robena Mine in Greene County, which received a favorable vote from the county's Planning Commission, and a project at the former Consol coal mine in Washington County, owned by CNX Resources, which plans to use natural gas reserves. While abandoned mine lands offer potential benefits like proximity to power infrastructure and natural cooling, challenges remain, such as inaccurate mapping of mine pools, the risk of chemical reactions from heated water, and the substantial power demands that often exceed existing transmission capacities.
Local opposition continues to be a significant factor. In Archbald, the proposed 500-acre Wildcat Ridge Data Center campus faces fierce local resistance, with residents and officials, like County Commissioner Bill Gaughan, expressing concerns about turning communities into