Data Centers & Fracking
Data Center Proposals in PA
A data center is a warehouse-like building containing rows of networked computer servers and equipment used for the remote processing, storage, and distribution of data.
Municipalities across Pennsylvania are currently receiving many proposals for large data center projects, primarily for the purpose of allowing technology companies to power AI tools and cloud computing. These hyperscale facilities can cover hundreds of acres of land and require vast amounts of energy and water.
Impacts to Residents and the Environment from
Large Scale Data Centers
Increased Electric Costs
Data centers use tremendous amounts of electricity. New, hyperscale facilities, which are designed to support AI development, demand hundreds of megawatts (MW) or even several gigawatts (GW) of energy. That's as much energy as a mid-size city like Pittsburgh. This can drive up costs for local residents and small businesses. People in northern Virginia, the "Data Center Capital of the World," are already facing rate hikes as data centers consume more than 25% of the state's electricity.
Fracking Implications
A sudden influx in energy-intensive data center projects would strain our resources, encouraging more unconventional oil and gas development. Many of these facilities are being proposed alongside gas fired power plants. Southwestern Pennsylvanians are already facing the burdens of fracking in the form of negative health impacts, disturbances, and stress. We are concerned that data center development would be a significant roadblock to moving in the right direction for a clean and healthy energy future.
High Water Usage
Data centers have become a top 10 water consuming industry in the United States. Hyperscale facilities can consume up to five million gallons of water per day to cool their servers. In fact, each 100-word email generated by an AI Chatbot using GPT-4 requires 519 millimeters of water for cooling, which is more than 1 standard bottle of water. Not all water authorities may be capable of or suitable for serving these data centers. This high water use could also pose a problem during periods of drought.
Health Impacts
Many of these facilities are being proposed alongside gas fired power plants or mobile gas turbines, which release harmful pollutants into the air. Data centers also typically have an array of diesel generators, which, in the event of a power outage, would kick on and emit further pollution. This includes cancer-causing chemicals like benzene. An increase in fracking to support data centers may also impact local health.
Noise and Light Pollution
People living near data centers are sometimes affected by noise and light pollution. Data centers emit constant, low-frequency noise, which can affect physical and mental wellbeing. The type of activity that a data center is used for can affect how much sound it produces, with cryptocurrency mines being especially loud. Careful facility siting and design is necessary to prevent data centers from emitting nuisance noise.
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Proposed Data Center Sites in Southwestern PA
Upper Burrell
A large data center has been proposed for Upper Burrell, PA, at the site of the old Alcoa research facility. According to TECfusions, the developer, this one data center could consume up to 3 GW of electricity—more electricity than produced by solar in the entire state of Pennsylvania. A gas fired power plant will be built on site to meet part of the demand, while another 280 MW will be pulled from West Penn Power. 6 gas well pads are located on the property. As of September 2025, a tenant for the site has not been announced.
Springdale
Planning Commission Meeting: 9/24/25 6 PM
Public Hearing: 10/3/2025 at 6 PM
at Springdale Borough Building
Check out our fact sheet!
Homer City
Homer City Redevelopment and Kiewit Power Constructors are planning to convert the closed Homer City coal plant into the largest natural gas-fired power plant in the entire nation. This massive, 4.5 GW facility will serve a planned data center campus on a 3,200 acre site. A company called GE Vernova will supply 7 gas turbines for the project, which could go online as soon as 2027. Fuel will be drawn from the Texas Eastern pipeline. DEP air quality permitting is underway, with the first public meeting being held on September 17, 2025 in Indiana, PA.
