Leading trade group weighs in on NEPA’s data center landscape

The Data Center Coalition (DCC), a leading industry advocacy group, predicts that only a small percentage, likely 25% or less, of the more than a dozen data center campuses proposed in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, will actually come to fruition. Dan Diorio, vice president of state policy for the DCC, attributes this to varying developer experience, market speculation, and the extended timelines for securing power. Northeast Pennsylvania, including Lackawanna and Luzerne counties, has attracted data center developers due to available land, access to high-tension power lines, and high-speed fiber optic internet. However, the proliferation of projects, including 13 campuses with 90 individual data centers in Lackawanna County alone, raises concerns among locals. Archbald, a data center hotspot, has 51 proposed data center buildings, many near homes, parks, and schools. Archbald council President Louis Rapoch voiced significant opposition, questioning the fate of land cleared for projects that might not materialize and lamenting the community's struggle against numerous proposals. While Archbald's conditional use designations give the council power to approve or deny applications, Rapoch expressed frustration over developers prioritizing profit over community well-being. The article also addresses public misconceptions about data center utility usage, with Diorio clarifying that peak water and electricity estimates represent worst-case scenarios, and actual consumption is typically lower. He also highlighted the industry's shift towards water-efficient technologies and the inverse relationship between water and electricity usage for cooling. Diorio acknowledged the "troubling optics" of data center clusters near residential areas and stressed the industry's responsibility for robust public engagement and working with local leadership to mitigate concerns. He also addressed the challenge posed by "new entrants" to the market who may lack the experience of established firms, leading to speculative projects that complicate resource forecasting for utilities and regulators.