Upper Burrell residents decry transparency as data center progresses despite moratorium and a lawsuit
Residents of Upper Burrell Township are opposing a large hyperscale data center project by TECfusions, citing transparency concerns. A lawsuit has been filed challenging the township's approval processes, and a 180-day moratorium on new data center development has been enacted, although it does not apply to TECfusions' current building permits or an approved land development plan.
A years-long effort to establish the Pittsburgh area's largest hyperscale data center, developed by TECfusions, is facing significant hurdles. These include a newly enacted 180-day moratorium on data center development, a proposed zoning ordinance, and a lawsuit challenging the project's current progress.
Over 50 residents attended a recent Upper Burrell Township board of supervisors meeting, with most expressing opposition. Residents like David Ostrosky pressed the board for greater transparency regarding permit approvals and site plans. Guy Fuller, a co-plaintiff in a lawsuit against the board, criticized the lack of answers from the supervisors. Board Vice Chair Kenneth Slahtovsky defended the board, stating they are actively learning about data centers and their regulation.
TECfusions, which closed on parcels at the former Alcoa Technical Center in Upper Burrell in 2023, plans for its Keystone Connect campus to eventually generate up to 3 gigawatts. While the township enacted a moratorium in May, it explicitly does not apply to building permits already granted to TECfusions for work on Building J, which is reportedly already operational and providing computational power. Furthermore, the supervisors approved a land development plan for the building on August 5, allowing electrical and mechanical upgrades, despite the moratorium.
Residents, including Fuller, argued that the township effectively