Utility Dive: US DOE Offers 2 National Energy Technology Laboratory Sites In Pittsburgh For Colocating Data Centers, Related Power Plants

On April 4, Utility Dive reported the US Department of Energy has identified 16 federal locations for potential construction of data centers and associated energy resources in a published request for information from stakeholders. 

Two of those locations were at the National Energy Technology Laboratory Pittsburgh Campus that is share with the CDC and NIOSH offices recently hit with staff cuts [Read more here].

The agency said the projects could be online in less than two years.

The RFI aligns with plans Trump announced in January to accelerate power plant development for co-located artificial intelligence data centers using an energy emergency declaration. 

It is also similar to an executive order former President Biden signed in January, targeting development of AI data centers powered by clean energy. 

The RFI, however, does not specify clean energy will be used in powering data centers.

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Resource Link:

-- PUC Launches Review Of Electric Grid Impacts From Data Center Growth, Sets April 24 Hearing  [PaEN]

NewsClips This Week:

-- Utility Dive: US DOE Offers 16 Locations For Possible Data Center, Energy Infrastructure Development

-- Wall Street Journal: Homer City Coal Power Plant Was Just Imploded To Make Way For An A.I. Data Center, The Country’s Largest Natural Gas Power Plant [PDF of Article] 

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: Homer City Reinventing Itself As Datacenter Campus With Lots Of Natural Gas Power To Supply It

-- TribLive: Homer City Site: Large Gas-Fired Power Plant To Support Data Center

-- The Center Square: New Natural Gas-Powered A.I. Data Center Coming To Homer City, Indiana County

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Homer City Coal Power Plant Site To Become A.I. Data Center With Massive Gas-Fired Power Plant 

-- Pittsburgh Works Statement On Homer City Data Center, Gas Power Plant Redevelopment Project 

-- PA Capital-Star/Inside Climate News - Jon Hurdle: Foes And Friends Of Nuclear Power Face Off Near Three Mile Island Nuclear Power Plant  

-- PennLive: Dauphin County Owned 228-Acre Golf Course Could Be Sold For Data Center Space

-- Utility Dive: FERC Review Of PJM Colocation Rules For Data Centers, Large Loads May Extend Past Mid-Year: Analysts 

[Posted: April 4, 2025]  PA Environment Digest