PPL transmission line proposal adds new layer to Gregg Township data center fight
Residents in Gregg Township, Pennsylvania, are now opposing a new PPL transmission line proposal, in addition to their ongoing fight against a PNK Group data center. The proposed transmission lines, extending across Lycoming and Union counties, are described by PPL as necessary for "growing energy needs" and "new customer facilities," which residents suspect is for the data center. Opponents are concerned about the environmental impact, infrastructure expansion, and potential public subsidization of the project.
Residents in Gregg Township, Pennsylvania, are facing a new challenge in their opposition to a proposed data center, as PPL has begun outreach regarding plans for a nine-mile, 230,000-volt transmission line project. The proposed lines, intended to meet "growing energy needs" and support "new customer facilities," are strongly believed by local residents, including the Concerned Citizens of Gregg Township (CCGT), to be for PNK Group's data center at Great Stream Commons, although PPL has not publicly confirmed this connection.
The transmission corridor, which would span parts of Lycoming and Union counties, could necessitate the construction of steel monopole towers up to 180 feet tall. Matthew DeWire of CCGT highlighted that the project's footprint extends far beyond the data center itself, raising broader concerns about long-term infrastructure expansion and environmental impacts, as some routes cross residential properties, farmland, and state game lands.
DeWire also questioned who would bear the cost of transmission fees, suggesting the public might end up subsidizing infrastructure primarily for a private data center. The construction of the transmission line, pending approval from the Pa. Public Utility Commission, is slated to begin in winter 2027 and conclude by winter 2029. The community views the situation as evolving beyond a simple zoning issue, prompting deeper questions about regional burdens on local communities.