In Case You Missed It: A.I./Data Center Articles - NewClips From Last Week - May 4

Here are Articles and NewsClips on A.I. and data center issues from last week you may have missed--

-- In Case You Missed It: A.I./Data Center Articles - NewClips From Last Week - May 4  [PaEN]

Energy Costs

-- WHYY - Susan Phillips: Gov. Shapiro Says Regulated Electric, Natural Gas, Water Utility System In PA Is ‘Broken’ In Letter To 24 Companies Laying Out New System To Rein In Corporate Profits 

-- Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Approves Extension Of PJM Capacity Auction Price Cap, Floor For Next 2 Auctions  [PaEN] 

-- Inquirer Guest Essay: Utility Shutoffs Pose Dire Risks To Families Unable To Afford Energy Bills - By David Taylor, Director Of Patient Advocacy, Drexel University College Of Medicine

-- City & State PA Guest Essay: Choosing Electric, Natural Gas Suppliers Works For Pennsylvanians, Don’t Let New House Bill Take It Away [House Bill 2131 (Boyd-D-Delaware)] - By John Hanger, Former PUC Commissioner 

-- Reuters: US Natural Gas Futures Hit 3-Week High As Output Falls And Companies Like EQT Cut Production Due To Low Spot Prices 

-- Reuters: US Consumers Face Rising Electricity Prices Pushed By A.I. Data Center Demand, Rising Natural Gas Prices, Tariffs On Steel/Aluminum, While Benefits From Low-Cost Clean Power Capacity Emerge 

-- Utility Dive Guest Essay: In 2025, PJM Energy Capacity Costs Were Up 300%, Congestion Costs Up Almost 80%, Total System Costs Up Over 50% - Massive Demand Shock Is Here - By Shahid Mahdi, EnerKnol

-- Reuters: While Asia, Europe Scramble For Natural Gas, US Glut Has No Where To Go; US Prices Hit 17 Month Low Due To Over Supply; US LNG Exporters Benefit From Soaring Prices Abroad 

-- Bloomberg: US Has More Natural Gas Than It Can Use As Iran War Chokes Global Supply 

-- Wall Street Journal: Iran War Is Breaking Down Global Energy Order Accelerating Shift From Oil Market And Economic Efficiency To One Shaped By Politics And Conflict

Legislation

-- PA House Energy Committee Sets May 4 Meeting To Act On More Bills To Address Electric Grid Reliability, Affordability Issues: Authorize Virtual Power Plants, More  [PaEN] 

​-- PA House Passes Bill To Require A.I. Data Centers To Report Water Use, Discharges To DEP  [PaEN]

-- PA Capital-Star: Electricity Grid Maps Could Speed Addition Of Renewable Energy To PA, PA House Panel Hears 

-- The Center Square: PA Republican Senator Says Ending Data Center Sales Tax Exemption Could Be Used To Reduce The State’s Gasoline Tax

-- AP: Building Trades Unions Emerge As Key Political Allies Of Tech Giants In Push For A.I. Data Centers [PA Highlighted]

-- The Center Square: Labor Union Back PA US Sen. McCormick’s Plan To Reform Federal Energy Infrastructure Permitting 

Generation/Grid Status

-- PA Senate Committee Hears Electric Grid Issues Getting Worse; PJM Has Attracted 220 GW Of New Generation Proposals; PJM ‘Backstop’ Procurement Critical To Making Data Centers Pay For New Generation [PaEN]

-- Sen. Yaw Holds Another Committee Hearing To Examine Urgent Challenges To Pennsylvania’s Electric Grid

-- Utility Dive: FirstEnergy Opposes PJM Backstop Procurement Plan Critical To Making A.I. Data Centers Pay The Cost Of Expensive New Electric Generation 

-- PJM Interconnection: 220 GW Of New Power Generation Project Proposals Submitted To Connect To The Grid Under New Process 

-- Reuters: PJM Grid Operator To Begin Processing 220 GW Of New Generation Project Proposals

-- Utility Dive: 106 GW Of Natural Gas-Fired Generation Leads PJM’s Newly Reopened Interconnection Queue; A.I.-Enabled Google Tapestry Will Be Used To Review The Applications

-- Inquirer - Frank Kummer: As A.I. Data Centers Drive Energy Demand, PJM Eyes New Power Generation Projects, Including First Nuclear Fusion Plant

Generation

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak & Laura Legere: A.I. Data Center Power Demand May Extend Conemaugh, Keystone Coal-Fired Power Plant Operations, Jobs For Years - But At A Cost

-- Pittsburgh City Paper: Environmental Groups Decry Plans To Burn More Coal For A.I. Data Centers [Keystone & Conemaugh Power Plants] 

-- PennLive - Charlie Thompson: US Interior Secretary Says Restart Of Three Mile Island Nuclear Power Plant To Serve Microsoft A.I. Data Centers Is Part Of America’s ‘Energy Dominance’ Plan

-- Utility Dive: Independent PJM Market Monitor Opposes 1.3 GW Natural Gas Power Plants Deal Taking Generation Out Of Capacity Auction Locking It Up To Serve A.I. Data Centers 

-- Utility Dive: PA Cong. Brian Fitzpatrick, Other Republican Members Of Congress Introduced Bill To Restore Renewable Energy Production, Investment Tax Credits For Much-Needed Generation Capacity 

Grid

-- PUC Adopts Voluntary Large Load, Data Center Tariff Framework To Help Protect Ratepayers   [PaEN] 

-- Environmental Defense Fund: PA Public Utility Commission Moves To Protect Consumers From A.I. Data Center Grid Costs: ‘The Stakes Are High Given The Scale And Speed Of Data Center-Driven Growth’ [PaEN] 

-- WHYY: PA Public Utility Commission Advances Measure To Protect Ratepayers From Costs Of A.I. Data Center Power Demand

-- TribLive: Allegheny County Condemns PJM Power Grid Operator For Slow Connection Approval Process For New Electric Generation

-- Utility Dive: NYISO Grid Operator Says Extended Heat Wave Could Cripple New York’s Grid This Summer; Reliability Margins Will Be Lowest In Recent History  

Permitting

-- WVIA: Governor’s Office Removes Project Gravity 7 Building A.I. Data Center Project In Luzerne County From Fast Track Permitting Program  Due To Lack Of Transparency  [PaEN]  

-- WVIA: Fast Track No More: State Kicks Project Gravity 7 Building A.I. Data Center Project In Archbald Out Of Fast Track Permitting Program

Land Use

-- Concerned Citizens Of Montour County: Data Center Developer Wants To Make It Harder For Citizens To Appeal Zoning, Permits; DCED Secretary Explains More On How They Want New GRID Principles To Work  [PaEN] 

-- Chestnut Hill Local - Abby Weiss: Philadelphia Developer [Brian O’Neill] Seeks To Build A Cluster Of A.I. Data Centers In Upper Merion Twp., Montgomery County 

-- Montour County: What A.I. Data Center Developers Don’t Like In Zoning Ordinances: Decommissioning Safeguards For When Their Tech Becomes Obsolete; No Noise Limits On Diesel Generators; No Property Value Impact Studies  [PaEN]  

-- The Daily Item: Montour County Board OKs Amendments To A.I. Data Center Rules Increasing Height Limit, Setbacks from Sensitive Receptors 

-- Tri-County Regional Planning Commission Publishes Model A.I. Data Center Ordinance; Links To Other Model Ordinances  [PaEN] 

-- Heatmap.News: Inside Josh Shapiro’s Attempt To Navigate The A.I. Data Center Backlash  [Based On Concerned Citizens Of Montour County Right To Know Request]

-- Reading Eagle: Threats Of Violence Against Both Sides Dogging A.I. Data Center Projects In Limerick Twp., Montgomery County  [PDF of Article]

-- Williamsport Sun: Muncy Twp., Lycoming County Passes 9 Month Moratorium On A.I. Data Centers Until Zoning Ordinance Can Be Adopted To Regulate Them

-- ABC27: A.I. Data Centers Dominate Statewide Township Leaders Convention 

-- Wilkes-Barre Times Leader Guest Essay: Public Backlash Against A.I. Data Centers Creating A Buildability Crisis - By Peter Clark, InsideSources.com 

-- Scranton Times: 2nd Notice Claiming Approval Of An 18 Building A.I. Data Center Project In Archbald Sets Appeal Deadline

-- Scranton Times: A.I. Data Center Developer Appeals Denial To Build 4 Data Centers In Dickson City

-- Scranton Times: A.I. Data Center Developer Sues Archbald To Overturn Council Decision To Reject Proposal To Build 18 Data Center Buildings On 400 Acres 

-- Scranton Times - Chris Kelly Opinion: A.I. Data Center Developer’s ‘Experts’ At A Loss For Answers At Archbald Hearing On Proposed 400 MW Data Center Power Plant

-- Scranton Times: Dedicated Eynon Jermyn Road A.I. Data Center Power Plant Proposal Scrutinized In Archbald

-- WNEP: Archbald’s Energy Debate Heats Up At Conditional Hearing For Proposed, Dedicated A.I. Data Center Power Plant

-- Scranton Times: Firm Linked To Keystone Landfill’s DeNaples Challenges Olyphant Boro Over A.I. Data Center Zoning 

-- PennLive - Charles Thompson: New A.I. Data Center Developer Targeting Monroe Twp., Cumberland County For New Data Center Site Proposal 

-- The Center Square: Nesting Eagles, Threats, Lack Of Information All Stir A.I. Data Center Discussion In South Annville Twp., Lebanon County 

-- Observer-Reporter: South Strabane Twp. Residents Call For Quick Vote On A.I. Data Center Ordinance In Washington County 

Impacts

-- Scranton Times Chris Kelly Opinion: Archbald Is The Canary In The A.I. Data Center ‘Coal Mine;’  90 Data Center Buildings Proposed In Lackawanna County  [PDF of Article]

-- PennLive - Charles Thompson: As A.I. Data Center Site Work Starts In Cumberland County, Neighbors Struggle With ‘The Monster Next Door:’ Blasting, Twp. Roads Failing, Failure To Communicate

-- FOX43: Massive, 700 Acre A.I. Data Center Project Construction In Cumberland County Bringing Noise, Concerns To Nearby Residents 

-- PennLive - Charles Thompson: Cumberland County Planning Commission Holds  April 29 Online Data Center Information Session On Site Under Construction In Middlesex Twp. At 6:30 p.m. 

-- LancasterOnline: Rise Of A.I. Data Centers, Energy Worries Expected To Boost Results For Lancaster County’s Armstrong World Energy Efficiency, Ceiling Tile, Other Products

Public Participation/Meetings

-- DEP Citizens Advisory Council Meets May 12 For Presentations On A Data Center Guide From Chester, Montgomery Counties; PFAS ‘Forever Chemical’ Contamination In Biosolids  [PaEN] 

-- DEP Accepting Comments On 2nd Stormwater Permit For SNA North LLC/QTS A.I. Data Center Project In Salem Twp., Luzerne County  [PaEN] 

-- Public Utility Commission Sets July 10 Telephonic Hearing On PPL Condemnation Of 30 Properties For The Sugarloaf 500/230KV Transmission Line In Luzerne County To Serve Data Centers  [PaEN] 

-- PA Data Center Hearings & Meetings - Physicians For Social Responsibility PA

A.I. Policy

-- City & State PA: Conversation With Attorney General Dave Sunday On How A.I. Tools Are Affecting Children, Teens And Vulnerable Populations

-- Maybe Folks Should Read This Article Again:  The Guardian: Anthropic’s Claude A.I. Agent’s Confession After Deleting A Firm’s Entire Database: ‘I Violated Every Principle I Was Given’ 

[Posted: May 3, 2026] PA Environment Digest