Data centers drive PPL’s 31.8 GW pipeline as PUC sees industrial power up 51% a year
Industrial electricity use in PPL Electric Utilities' Pennsylvania service territory is projected to surge by 51% annually through 2030, driven primarily by data center development. PPL is planning a 31.8 GW data center pipeline, with a joint venture, Invitium Energy, securing land and interconnection requests. The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission has issued guidance on tariffs for large-load customers to ensure they fund necessary infrastructure, addressing concerns about costs shifting to existing consumers.
The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) released its annual Electric Power Outlook on September 1, projecting an average annual industrial electricity use growth of 51.05% through 2030 within PPL Electric Utilities' service territory. This rate is nearly triple the statewide industrial growth and is primarily attributed to anticipated large-load data centers. PPL Electric, headquartered in Allentown, serves 1.5 million customers across 29 counties in eastern and central Pennsylvania, with data centers expected to drive a 20.51% annual increase in total electricity use in its territory through 2030.
PPL Corp. reported a 31.8 gigawatt (GW) data center pipeline in advanced planning as of its second-quarter earnings release, with over 11 GW under signed electric service agreements and 6.5 GW under construction. The company's joint venture with Blackstone Infrastructure, Invitium Energy, has secured land for 8 to 14 GW of new generation and made interconnection requests for more than 5 GW, representing an estimated $12.5 billion to $15 billion in potential investment through 2032.
A key concern is who will fund the necessary infrastructure upgrades. The PUC's final order (docket M-2025-3054271), issued May 13, established a model tariff for large-load customers (above 50 MW individually or 100 MW in aggregate), requiring deposits and collateral for delayed or abandoned projects and setting expectations for interconnection studies. PUC Chairman Steve DeFrank emphasized that the costs of major new loads should be "appropriately addressed rather than simply shifted to existing families and businesses." Elizabeth Marx of the Pennsylvania Utility Law Project noted that legislation is needed because the tariff is not binding, citing a billion-dollar increase in generation costs for Pennsylvanians. PPL maintains its tariff ensures large-load customers fund their infrastructure. The PJM regional plan also identified $3.56 billion in Pennsylvania transmission projects for 2025.