The Pros and Cons of a Pennsylvania Data Center

President Donald Trump and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro are encouraging AI data center developers to bring or buy their own power to mitigate worries about rising electricity prices. An example of this approach is the Homer City redevelopment, located east of Pittsburgh, which is redeveloping the 3,200-acre site of the former Homer City Generating Station, Pennsylvania's largest coal-fired power plant decommissioned in 2023. The site is being converted into a natural gas power plant intended to supply electricity to customers, including a data center campus. Cory Hessen, CEO of Homer City Redevelopment, reported that construction is advancing, with the goal of connecting the first two of seven GE Vernova turbines to the PJM grid by the second quarter of 2028. Hessen emphasized the importance of self-supplied power to reduce the impact on the existing grid and current consumers, stating that the plant will provide additional power for PJM customers in Western Pennsylvania. However, the project faces significant local opposition from residents in Indiana County, who express concerns about emissions from the new power plant and pollution from data centers. They also question the number of permanent jobs the data centers will generate. Additionally, environmental groups are appealing an air permit that was approved for the power plant. Despite the opposition, Homer City Mayor Kyle Kob believes the project will benefit the local economy. He stated that the pros of creating the data center and power plant will "greatly outweigh the cons" for the community, hoping that a full understanding of the project's scale will alleviate residents' stress.