The Pennsylvania Town Facing a Data Center Boom

The small town of Archbald, Pennsylvania, with a population under 8,000, is facing a major data center boom. Five massive data centers, spanning 51 buildings and 13 million square feet, are planned for the area. Local officials are welcoming the projects, seeing them as a potentially lucrative source of tax revenue - one data center could generate over $4 million per year, more than 60% of the borough's annual budget. To accommodate the data centers, the Archbald Borough Council has voted to raise the height limit for buildings in industrial zones from 55 to 90 feet, over the objections of many residents. However, residents are concerned that the data centers will overwhelm the local power grid, driving up electricity bills. The largest planned data center would require 1.6 gigawatts of electricity, nearly the capacity of the largest gas-fired power plant in the state. Some residents have voiced strong opposition, with one saying "Here in Archbald, we are fighting against our local government. Honestly, it's broken my heart." Experts warn that the surge in data center demand could lead to the need for many more natural gas wells to be drilled in the region to meet the power needs. This has further heightened concerns among locals about the environmental and community impacts.