Lehigh Valley town already facing data center zoning challenge now faces another. What we know
A second zoning challenge has been filed in Upper Mount Bethel Township for a proposed four-building data center project, battery storage and a power plant at the former Portland Generating Station. The filing is connected to a larger planned campus of up to 27 data center buildings and 2 gigawatts spanning both sides of River Road.
Developer Lou Pektor filed a second zoning challenge in Upper Mount Bethel Township on behalf of RPL East LLC, seeking to develop four data center buildings, battery storage and a power plant on about 152 acres at the former Portland Generating Station along the Delaware River. The proposal would expand a planned hyperscale campus that could reach 2 gigawatts.
Pektor’s River Pointe Logistics is partnered with Talen Energy through Slate Belt Holdings, which is separately seeking approval for 23 data center buildings and two substations on 754 acres west of River Road. Both challenges argue that the township’s zoning ordinance unlawfully excludes data centers and ask that the projects be recognized as permitted uses or receive site-specific relief. Township Manager Nick Graziano said the zoning officer has not yet reviewed the latest filing.