Data Centers Drive 4.4-Gigawatt Pa. Gas Power Buildout
Pennsylvania is projected to add 4.4 gigawatts of grid-connected natural gas generation by 2030 as electricity demand from data centers grows. PennEnvironment says the buildout could increase pollution and is calling for a moratorium on new data centers in the state.
An analysis by PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center and Frontier Group, based on U.S. Energy Information Administration data, projects that Pennsylvania will add 4.4 gigawatts of grid-connected natural gas generation by 2030. The state has 70 existing data centers and 91 proposed facilities, and the groups link much of the anticipated power growth to rising demand from data centers.
The analysis warns that expanded gas generation could extend reliance on fossil fuels and increase health and climate risks. PennEnvironment Deputy Director Flora Cardoni called for a Pennsylvania moratorium on new data centers, while the report also noted that renewable additions are not increasing at the same pace as planned gas capacity.