Politics
-- Morning Call: What Do Lehigh Valley’s Legislative Candidates Think About A.I. Data Centers? We Asked Them
-- Scranton Times: Sen. Katie Muth: NE PA A.I. Data Center Resistance Is ‘Giving Me Courage’
-- New York Times: How Pennsylvania Explains The Forces Shaping The Midterm Elections
-- The Economist: A.I. Data Centers Are Turning US President’s Voters Into Democrats; Backlash Could Swing Close Races In Midterm Elections
-- City & State PA: PA US Sen. McCormick’s Red Tape-Cutting Efforts For Energy, A.I. , Other Projects Take Center Stage In Philadelphia With Industry Stakeholders [One-Sided Conversation Without Citizen Stakeholders]
-- PennLive Guest Essay: 10.5 Million Words Of Regulations Stand In The Way Of A.I., Energy Development In Pennsylvania - By PA US Sen. Dave McCormick [McCormick’s Wife Is President And Vice Chairman Of Meta/Facebook]
Grid
-- PUC Invites Comments On Regulations To Give Electric Utilities New Tools To Manage Data Centers During Emergency Periods Of Strained Electricity Supplies And Curtailments To Maintain Grid Reliability [PaEN]
-- PJM Reports Operating With Only 66% Of Its Generation Capacity Available During Recent Maximum Generation Alerts; About One-Third Of The Power Plant Outages Were Unexpected [PaEN]
-- Gov. Shapiro Files Petition To Intervene In PPL Electric Rate Case To Protect Customers From Costs And Reliability Risks From A.I. Data Centers [PaEN]
-- PJM Extends Maximum Generation Alert To Oct. 14 Due To Unusually Warm Weather, Equipment Outages; Calls On Demand Response To Reduce Power Load [PaEN]
-- PA Capital-Star: PJM Interconnection Issues Alerts Warning Of Tight Electricity Supplies
-- PJM Issues Maximum Generation Alert For Oct. 13 Due To Unusually Warm Weather, Equipment Outages; Received DOE Order To Switch Data Centers To Backup Generation, If Needed [PaEN]
-- Utility Dive: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Rejects Most Of PJM’s ‘Bring Your Own Power’ Data Center Load Plan Saying It Intrudes On State Jurisdiction, May Be Discriminatory [FERC Rejected PJM’s Backstop Energy Plan Earlier]
-- The Allegheny Front: FERC Denies Plan That Would Shield Energy Customers From A.I. Data Center Demand To Avoid Blackouts
-- Wall Street Journal: ‘Phantom’ A.I. Data Centers Are Demanding More From The Power Grid Than They Need Leading To Higher Electricity Rates
Generation
-- PJM Reports Operating With Only 66% Of Its Generation Capacity Available During Recent Maximum Generation Alerts; About One-Third Of The Power Plant Outages Were Unexpected [PaEN]
-- Axios-Pittsburgh: Report: Pennsylvania Natural Gas Power Generation To Grow 15% By 2030 Due To A.I. Data Center Demand
-- Altoona Mirror - Robert Swift: PUC/Team PA Report Identifies 21 Possible Sites For A.I. Data Center Power Plants
-- PA Capital-Star: PUC/Team PA Study Identifies 21 Potential Sites For A.I. Data Center Power Plants
-- Williamsport Sun: PUC Study Searches For Power Plant Sites To Be Reactivated For Data Centers, Looks At Lock Haven
-- AP: US Is Reviving Shuttered Nuclear Power Plants To Meet Growing A.I. .Data Center Electricity Demand [Includes Three Mile Island]
Land Use
-- Scranton Times: Project Gravity A.I. Data Center Developer To Have Info Session Oct. 14; Opponents Hold Public Meeting Oct. 15
-- Scranton Times Chris Kelly Opinion: Project Gravity A.I. Data Center Developer Hopes To Change Public Opinion With Meeting And Light Refreshments
-- Scranton Times: Project Gravity A.I. Data Center Developers Meet With Skeptical Public In Archbald, Lackawanna County
-- The Citizens’ Voice: Residents Sue Newport Twp., Commissioners Over A.I. Data Center/Power Plant Complex Zoning Approval In Luzerne County
-- Wilkes-Barre Times Leader: Fit Energy To Host Newport Twp. A.I. Data Center /Power Plant Complex Information Session On Oct. 28 In Luzerne County
-- PennLive/LehighValleyLive: $10,000/Household Didn’t Work, Developer Of Project Hazelnut A.I. Data Center To Hold Oct. 22 Open House To Talk About What’s Next In Luzerne County
-- Republican Herald: PPL Plans High-Voltage Electric Line Leading To Amazon Data Center In Hazleton Area, Luzerne County
-- The Citizens’ Voice: Butler Twp. Supervisors To Consider A.I. Data Center Ordinance Oct. 13 In Luzerne County
-- Wilkes-Barre Times Leader: Butler Twp. A.I. Data Center Ordinance Approved, But May Be Adjusted In The Future In Luzerne County
-- Wilkes-Barre Times Leader: Bear Creek Twp. Passes A.I. Data Center Ordinance, Rejects Industrial Zone Expansion
-- The Citizens’ Voice: PPL Will Unveil New Powerline Plan At Open Houses In McAdoo (Oct. 14), Berwick (Oct. 15) To Feed Project Hazelnut A.I. Data Center Project
-- Morning Call: Allentown Planning Commission Approves A.I. Data Center Near Homes, Businesses, Nonprofit Over Widespread Public Opposition
-- Morning Call: Upper Mount Bethel Twp. Faces 2nd Zoning Challenge For Another A.I. Data Center/Power Plant Complex In Northampton County
-- Morning Call: Upper Mount Bethel Twp. To Meet Oct. 19 On First Legal Challenge From A.I. Data Center Developer In Northampton County
-- Morning Call: How Upper Mount Bethel Twp. Could Get $50 Million If It Approves Updated A.I. Data Center Plans In Northampton County
-- Williamsport Sun: Muncy Township’s Updated A.I. Data Center Ordinance Online For Public Review In Lycoming County
-- Williamsport Sun: Muncy Township Solicitor Assures Residents A.I. Data Center Legal Battle Could Go On For Years
-- PennLive - John Beauge: A.I. Data Center Developer Starts Electric Substation Without Approval In Union County
-- Post-Gazette: As A.I. Data Center Backlash Grows, Residents In Forward Twp. Beg Leaders To ‘Please, Please Hear Us’ In Butler County
-- WESA - Rachel McDevitt: Residents Urge Allegheny County To Reject Springdale A.I. Data Center Based On Noise, Pollution
-- TribLive: Residents Frustrated As First Allegheny County Hearing On Springdale A.I. Data Center Delays Public Comment
-- WESA: Organizers Say Springdale A.I. Data Center ‘Not A Done Deal,’ Allegheny County Has Final Say
-- Pittsburgh Business Journal: New A.I. Data Center Proposed In South Huntingdon Twp., Westmoreland County, About 1 Mile From Tenaska Natural Gas Power Plant
-- TribLive: A.I. Data Center Proposed For South Huntingdon Twp. ‘Still In Early Stages’ In Westmoreland County
-- Observer-Reporter: Fayette County Residents Seek More Stringent A.I. Data Center Ordinance By County [3.75 GW Power Plant Complex Proposed]
-- Tribune-Democrat: Somerset County Citizens’ Group Planning Rally Against A.I. Data Centers Saturday [Oct. 17]
-- TechRadar.com: Amazon Is Building A Massive 36 Building, 1,1000 A.I. Data Center Complex - Homer City Energy Complex Will Create Around 1,500 - 2,000 [Construction] Jobs Powered By Natural Gas [Indiana County]
-- Pittsburgh Media Partnership: Pennsylvania A.I. Data Center Proposals Map
Public Participation/Meetings
-- PUC Invites Comments On Regulations To Give Electric Utilities New Tools To Manage Data Centers During Emergency Periods Of Strained Electricity Supplies And Curtailments To Maintain Grid Reliability [PaEN]
-- DEP Sets Nov. 20 Hearing On Stormwater Permit For PPL Stanton Summit Transmission Line Rebuild In Lackawanna County [PaEN]
-- DEP To Hold Public Meeting/Hearing Nov. 23 On Chapter 105 Permit For Project Atlas A.I. Data Center Complex In Lehigh County [PaEN]
-- DEP Invites Comments On Individual Stormwater Permit For The CDE Acquisitions LLC Project Atlas A.I. Data Center Complex In Lehigh County [PaEN]
-- PennLive/LehighValleyLive: $10,000/Household Didn’t Work, Developer Of Project Hazelnut A.I. Data Center To Hold Oct. 22 Open House To Talk About What’s Next In Luzerne County
-- PA Data Center Hearings & Meetings - Physicians For Social Responsibility PA
Impacts
-- Still Time To Register! Washington & Jefferson College Oct. 20 In-Person New Horizons Infrastructure, Energy And Data In The Coming Decade In Southwest PA
-- PennLive/LehighValleyLive: A.I. Data Centers Have A Shelf Life, Who Pays For Cleanup In PA When They Close Years From Now?
[Posted: October 17, 2026] PA Environment Digest
