Blackstone

Data Center Signal is tracking 41 clips about Blackstone data center developments across 11 states, including MI, VA, PA, NM, WI.

41Clips

11States

States

Topics

government78%

electricity76%

opposition61%

environmental54%

announcement46%

zoning44%

water39%

legal29%

moratorium12%

News ClipThe Morning Call·Upper Macungie, Lehigh County, PA

Data center developers tout economic benefits. How much could they affect Lehigh Valley economy?

Data center developers and supporters in Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley highlight the economic benefits and job creation from data center projects, including significant construction and indirect employment, despite requiring fewer permanent staff. Local economic development officials view data centers as foundational infrastructure rather than high-value job creators, leading to less dedicated recruitment. Residents, mindful of past warehouse developments, are actively pushing back against five proposed hyperscale projects, while utilities like PPL and First Energy are investing billions to expand grid capacity to meet growing power demands.

zoning opposition announcement government electricity moratorium

9/3/2026

News ClipThe South Shore Press·Granbury, Hood County, TX

Microgrids Could Ease AI’s Growing Power Demand

VoltaGrid is providing natural gas-powered microgrids to help AI data centers generate their own electricity, easing strain on public grids. The Houston-based company is expanding its manufacturing in Granbury, Texas, and recently secured a $1 billion investment. This technology offers a potential solution for regions like New York, where data center growth is impacting grid reliability.

electricity

8/31/2026

News ClipScranton Times-Tribune·Lackawanna County, PA

PPL secures 11-plus square miles in Archbald, Upvalley for power plants

PPL Corp. and Blackstone's joint venture has secured over 11 square miles in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, to explore building two natural gas power plants for future data centers. This move has sparked immediate and strong opposition from local residents and officials concerned about environmental impacts, water sources, and the large-scale industrialization of the area. The company states plans are preliminary and contingent on securing a data center customer.

electricity environmental opposition government

8/29/2026

News ClipEnergy and Policy Institute·Bessemer, Jefferson County, AL

Alabama Power promises data center protections, but its proposed rate structure redacts them

Alabama Power is under scrutiny for redacting critical terms in data center contracts, preventing public and regulatory oversight of potential customer cost shifts. This issue is being deliberated by the Alabama Public Service Commission following a new state law. Local opposition to data centers has also intensified in the state, influencing municipal elections.

electricity government legal opposition

Meta QTS

8/28/2026

News ClipTimes Leader·Salem Township, Luzerne County, PA

Developers tout impacts of 3 data center campuses; Zoning meeting set for Wednesday on 4-3 Glenbrook Group project

Salem Township in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, is poised for significant data center development with three major campuses underway, including projects by Amazon, QTS, and the 4-3 Glennbrook Group. These multi-billion dollar developments are expected to bring thousands of jobs and substantial economic impact to the region. A crucial zoning meeting is scheduled for Wednesday to decide on an overlay zone expansion for the 4-3 Glennbrook Group project.

zoning electricity environmental announcement government water

Amazon QTS

8/23/2026

News ClipMyChesCo·PA

McCormick Presses AI Buildout With Worker, Data Center Rules

U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick proposed a comprehensive AI policy focused on infrastructure buildout, worker protections, and national security. He addressed the growing public opposition to data centers, urging developers to fund their own power needs, limit environmental impacts, and provide local economic benefits. McCormick called for greater transparency from developers and an avoidance of tax abatements.

electricity water opposition government zoning announcement

QTS

7/31/2026

News ClipScranton Times-Tribune·Luzerne County, PA

PPL Corp., Blackstone spend $40.4M on possible Luzerne County power plants

PPL Corporation and Blackstone Infrastructure, through their joint venture Phoenix PA Land Holdings LLC, spent over $40 million to acquire more than 500 acres in Jenkins, Plains, and Salem townships in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. The land is intended for possible power plants to meet the rising demand for electricity, particularly from data centers, though no final decisions on generation projects have been made. The venture emphasized that PPL Electric Utilities customers are not funding these activities.

electricity announcement government

7/30/2026

News ClipSRN News·VA

Digital Realty raises annual FFO forecast on robust data center demand

Digital Realty Trust has raised its full-year forecast for funds from operations, citing robust leasing momentum driven by cloud and AI customers. The company also announced plans to acquire a larger stake in three data centers in Northern Virginia from Blackstone for $3.5 billion, strengthening its presence in a key market.

announcement

Digital Realty

7/23/2026

News ClipMilwaukee Neighborhood News Service·Port Washington, Ozaukee County, WI

ATC asks feds to reopen bidding for Wisconsin transmission project

American Transmission Company (ATC) has asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to intervene in a dispute over a major transmission project in eastern Wisconsin. The project, initially awarded to Viridon, is crucial for connecting a large data center campus in Port Washington to the grid by late 2027. ATC's appeal challenges the competitive bidding process, seeking to either redo the bidding or be awarded the full project to ensure timely grid connection for the data center.

electricity government zoning legal

7/20/2026

News Clipinkl·Saline, Washtenaw County, MI

Michigan Township Faces Lawsuit Over Data Center Project Amid Widespread Opposition

A $16 billion data center project in Saline Township, Michigan, known as "Stargate," is proceeding with construction despite significant local opposition over concerns about water, the power grid, and rural character. The township board initially denied rezoning, leading to a lawsuit from developers that resulted in a consent judgment allowing construction. Opponents are now challenging this agreement in court, while data center development becomes a key political issue in Michigan and nationally.

zoning opposition environmental electricity water legal government

Oracle OpenAI

7/17/2026

News ClipThe Detroit News·Saline Township, Washtenaw County, MI

Data Center Opposition Grows Nationwide, Influencing Political Landscape

Residents of Saline Township, Michigan are actively opposing the construction of the "Stargate" data center, a $16 billion project by a consortium including Oracle and OpenAI. Despite initial rezoning denial and ongoing legal challenges from opponents, construction has begun following a consent judgment that included community benefits. This local struggle highlights a growing national tension over data center development and AI's impact, prompting politicians to address voter concerns.

zoning opposition environmental announcement government legal electricity water moratorium

Oracle OpenAI

7/16/2026

News ClipThe Independent·Saline, Oscoda County, MI

Michigan Town Raises Water Concerns Over $16 Billion AI Data Center Project

A $16 billion AI data center project backed by OpenAI, Oracle, and others is proceeding with construction in Saline Township, Michigan, despite significant local opposition. Residents are concerned about the project's impact on water supply and the power grid, leading to a legal battle and a settlement that allowed development to move forward. Opponents are now challenging this settlement in court.

zoning opposition environmental announcement government legal electricity water

OpenAI Oracle

7/16/2026

News ClipVINnews·Salem Township, Clearfield County, PA

Pennsylvania Farmers Cash In On AI Boom, Selling Farmland For $22M

A Pennsylvania farming family sold their 89-acre property in Salem Township for $22 million to a data center developer, as part of a larger $586 million acquisition by QTS and Blackstone for a massive data center project. This development is fueled by the AI boom and the need for land with access to major electrical infrastructure. However, growing opposition in the area and across the U.S. raises concerns about environmental impacts and changes to rural communities.

opposition environmental announcement electricity

QTS

7/14/2026

News ClipTechnical.ly·Manassas, Prince William County, VA

$3.5B data center deal in Virginia as Digital Realty buys Blackstone stake

Digital Realty has acquired a $3.5 billion equity stake from Blackstone-affiliated funds in three data centers in northern Virginia. The deal covers two facilities in Manassas and one in Sterling, with a total power draw of up to 96 megawatts. This transaction follows Digital Realty's recent acquisition of Alexandria-based Columbia Capital, an investment firm focused on data centers.

announcement government

Digital Realty

7/8/2026

News Clipvisiontimes.com·Prince William County, VA

QTS Terminates Massive Digital Gateway Data Center Project in Virginia as Industry Faces Record Pushback

QTS has terminated its planned Digital Gateway data center development in Prince William County, Virginia, and withdrawn its filings following years of planning, approvals, and significant opposition. This cancellation reflects a broader trend of large-scale data center projects facing delays or termination due to community pushback and infrastructural constraints, despite companies like Microsoft continuing their investments in the region.

zoning opposition environmental legal electricity water government

QTS Microsoft

7/6/2026

News Clipkkam.com·Temple, Bell County, TX

300-Megawatt Temple Data Center Breaks Ground as Grants Roll Out

Rowan Digital Infrastructure has broken ground on a new 300-megawatt data center in Temple, Texas. Concurrently, the company is distributing over $30,000 in grants through its Community Catalyst Program to six local organizations in the Temple area. The project, described as a flagship deployment, is financially backed by Blackstone and Quinbrook.

announcement government zoning

7/2/2026

News ClipReuters·VA

Blackstone's QTS terminates Digital Gateway data center project in Virginia

Blackstone's QTS has terminated the Digital Gateway data center project in Virginia. This decision marks the end of a significant development plan for the region. No further details regarding the reasons for termination were provided in the available information.

announcement opposition

QTS

7/2/2026

News ClipNew York Post·Monterey Park, Los Angeles County, CA

China's playing dirty in the AI arms race — and Neville Singham appears to be helping them change US minds

A report alleges that Chinese Communist Party-linked backers are fueling anti-AI sentiment and data center opposition across the US through activist Neville Singham and the Party for Socialism and Liberation. This activism has reportedly stalled over $20 billion in data center investments, led to local moratoria, and blocked projects in multiple states, prompting a congressional inquiry. The report claims the groups exploit local concerns with misinformation, particularly regarding water usage and electricity bills.

zoning opposition electricity government moratorium

Google

7/1/2026

News ClipWSAU·WI

Report Alleges Foreign Influence in US, Wisconsin Data Center Opposition

A new study alleges foreign influence, specifically from a China-linked socialist group, is impacting US and Wisconsin data center developments, leading to project delays, blocks, and moratoria. This includes a halted Blackstone-backed project in DeForest and an approved anti-data center referendum in Port Washington. The report highlights alleged misinformation campaigns concerning data center energy and water use, while the Wisconsin Public Service Commission has adopted a new pricing plan for large data centers.

government opposition moratorium zoning environmental electricity water

7/1/2026

News ClipCNBC·Manassas, Prince William County, VA

Digital Realty falls 5% after taking $3.5 billion stake in Blackstone's Virginia data centers$

Digital Realty announced it is acquiring a $3.5 billion stake in three data centers in Northern Virginia from asset manager Blackstone. This transaction, involving a mix of cash and shares, increases Digital Realty's ownership in key hyperscale assets. The move further expands the company's presence in Virginia, recognized as the world's largest data center market.

announcement

Digital Realty

6/30/2026