Springdale residents oppose proposed 47-acre Dynamo DC data center
Springdale residents are opposing Dynamo DC’s proposed 47-acre hyperscale data center, citing concerns about noise, water use, electricity demand and its proximity to homes. The borough approved a conditional-use permit, while Allegheny County separately banned data centers larger than 25 megawatts on county-owned land and Pennsylvania adopted new energy and transparency requirements.
Residents of Springdale, Pennsylvania, are organizing against Dynamo DC’s proposed 47-acre hyperscale data center on the former site of a coal-fired power plant. The project received a conditional-use permit from Springdale Borough Council in a 5-2 vote, but members of Save Allegheny Valley Environment continue to press Allegheny County to halt additional land-use approvals. Residents cite the facility’s proximity to homes, potential noise from cooling equipment and generators, electricity demand, and environmental impacts.
Dynamo DC spokesperson Brian Regli said the project would use acoustic shielding and a closed-loop system that recycles 500,000 gallons of water. The facility is planned to draw up to 240 megawatts from the regional grid and begin operating by 2029, although the eventual user and contractors have not been identified. The article places the dispute within a broader political backlash against data centers, noting Pennsylvania energy and transparency requirements signed by Gov. Josh Shapiro, a proposed 180-day pause, and Allegheny County’s unanimous ban on data centers larger than 25 megawatts on county-owned land.