Pierce Township Data Center Proposal Faces Moratorium, Grid and Beckjord Questions
Crane Data Centers has proposed a 300-megawatt data center in Pierce Township, Ohio, on 300 acres near U.S. 52. However, the project faces a township-wide moratorium on data center permits until May 31, 2027, as local officials are still developing zoning regulations for such facilities. The proposal raises questions about electricity demand, environmental concerns related to a nearby former coal plant site, and the township's ability to review such a large project while its regulatory framework is incomplete.
Crane Data Centers has presented a proposal for a 300-megawatt data center campus in Pierce Township, Ohio, to the Pierce Township Zoning Commission. The project, planned for approximately 300 acres of industrially-zoned land near U.S. 52, includes three buildings ranging from 200,000 to 300,000 square feet.
However, the proposal faces a significant hurdle: a township moratorium on data center permits that remains in effect until May 31, 2027. Township officials, including Trustee Allen Freeman, have stated that projects cannot receive zoning permits during this freeze. The township is currently in the process of drafting new regulations and standards for data centers, addressing concerns such as water use, electricity demand, noise, and setbacks. These proposed restrictions are slated for discussion by the zoning commission at its October 6, 2026, meeting.
Developers for Crane Data Centers suggested potential mitigation measures, including closed-loop cooling, a new electrical substation, on-site solar power, rainwater collection, and noise controls. The proposed 300-megawatt load would require evaluation by PJM Interconnection, the regional electric system operator, which anticipates a significant increase in summer peak demand over the next 15 years across its territory. Environmental concerns also loom, as the proposed site is across from the former Walter C. Beckjord Generating Station, where issues like coal ash storage in unlined ponds in the Ohio River floodplain have been reported.
As of now, the project remains a concept. Pierce Township has not approved it, the moratorium is active, and the zoning commission has yet to finalize the standards that would govern any future applications. Consequently, the project's final design, utility arrangements, environmental review, and construction timetable are unresolved.