Southwest PA Environmental Advocates Urge Bigger Voice For Renewable Energy At A.I. Horizons Summit In Pittsburgh On Sept. 11

The Southwest PA Data Centers Work Group, a group of environmental organizations led by Protect PT, will hold a press conference at the A.I. Horizons Summit next Thursday, Sept. 11, to demand a seat at the table for renewable energy on the power grid.

Ahead of the summit, the group will send a letter to Joanna Doven, executive director of the AI Strike Team, organizers of the summit, to advocate for the need to focus on clean alternative energy options and consider the health harms of fracking when conducting AI industry work. 

“If this is a future-oriented organization, then we want them to realize that the future is in renewables, while fossil fuels continue to harm, pollute and create a 'boom and bust' cycle for communities in the shale fields of PA and beyond,” said Gillian Graber, executive director of Protect PT. “We are refraining from stating any opinions about AI in this letter and are instead trying to simply express our concerns, start a dialogue and push for a focus shift in the tech world that may help reduce, not increase, the demand for fracked gas.”

Gov. Josh Shapiro and US Senator Dave McCormick will be at the summit the afternoon of Sept. 11. 

Click Here to read the sign-on letter.

(Photo: Proposed 3,200 acre Homer City A.I. data center campus and 4.5 GW power plant in Indiana County.)

Resource Links - A.I. Data Centers:

-- Guest Essay: Rewriting The Energy Story — Together - By Stephen M. DeFrank, Chairman, Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission  [7.23.25]

-- PUC: Brace For Higher Electric Bills As A Result Of Soaring Power Use; Consumers Should Review Energy Options  [7.25.25]

-- Independent Fiscal Office: Residential Electricity Bills ‘Begin Surge:’ Natural Gas Prices Up 71%, PJM Prices Up Due To A.I. Data Center Demand  [PaEN]

-- PJM Electricity Auction: PJM Lost 2.8 Gigawatts Of Power Due To Reduced Reliability Rating Of Natural Gas Power Plants; Could Gain 12.2 Gigawatts By Increasing Reliability From Less Than 75% Now To An Achievable 90%  [7.31.25] 

-- PJM Electric Auction Impacts: 1 In 5 PA Households Report Problems Now Paying Energy Bills; Electric Utility Shutoffs Up 38.1% So Far This Year  [7.30.25] 

-- What The A.I. Data Center & Energy Summit Missed: Exploding Electricity Demand Already Raising Prices - Ratepayers Need Protection; No Longer An ‘All Of The Above’ Energy Strategy [7.22.25]  

-- What The A.I. Data Center & Energy Summit Missed: It’s Deja Vu - False Promises, Dirty Power - Our People And Communities Deserve Respect  [7.22.25] 

-- Senate Hearing: To Communities Facing Rapid A.I. Data Center Development: Review Your Zoning Ordinance NOW, Before It's Too Late To Have Meaningful Siting, Mitigation Conversations  [8.12.25]  

-- Senate Hearing: DEP Primer: Recurring Challenges Of A.I. Data Centers: Frequent Site Plan Changes, Inconsistent Zoning, Outdated Sewage Facilities, Limited Community Outreach  [8.12.25]  

-- Senate Hearing: Susquehanna River Basin Commission - A.I. Data Centers Have A Dramatic Demand For Water, And The Potential To Be Among The Largest Water Consumers In The Basin  [8.13.25]

Related Articles This Week:

-- PUC Chairman: Model Tariff For Connecting A.I. Data Centers To Local Electric Grid To Be Published For Comment By End Of September  [PaEN]

-- Southwest PA Environmental Advocates Urge Bigger Voice For Renewable Energy At A.I. Horizons Summit In Pittsburgh On Sept. 11 [PaEN] 

-- Water At Risk: What Is Your Township's Plan For A.I. Data Centers?  Sept. 15 Hearing In Tobyhanna Twp., Monroe County - By Carol Hillestad for Brodhead Watershed Association   [PaEN]

-- Protecting Clean Water Together: Electric Bills Increased 10-20% Since June - Community Solar Could Be A Solution - By Carol Hillestad for Brodhead Watershed Association  [PaEN] 

-- Independent Fiscal Office Reports 2nd Quarter Increase In Natural Gas Production, New Wells And 60.8% Increase In Price Of Gas Over Last Year  [PaEN]

-- Utility Dive: Rising Natural Gas Prices Expected To Drive Up Electricity Costs

-- PUC Commissioners Urge PA Congressional Delegation To Support Low-Income Energy Assistance - LIHEAP  [PaEN] 

NewsClips:

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: A.I. Horizons Summit Sept. 11-12 With Tech And Energy Execs, Political Heavyweights  [PDF of Article] 

-- Post-Gazette: Pittsburgh’s Labor Leaders Say They’re Ready For US Steel, A.I. Data Center Investments, Will The Money Come Through?

-- Scranton Times: State Lawmakers Hear Potential Impacts Of A.I. Data Centers At Scranton Hearing 

-- WNEP: State Lawmakers Held Roundtable Discussion On Proposed A.I. Data Centers In Scranton 

-- York Dispatch: Is A.I. Data Center Demand Too Much For A Delicate Electricity Grid In PA? York County Is A Fertile Area For Data Center Development [PDF of Article] 

-- PA Capital-Star/Public Source: A.I. Data Center Growth Raises Pittsburgh-Area Hopes, But Community Benefits Aren’t Guaranteed

-- WITF: PA Lawmakers Look Underground For Geothermal Alternative To Cool A.I. Data Centers

-- Inquirer: Why This PA-Based Builder Is Shifting To A.I. Data Centers  

-- The Center Square: A.I. Ethics: Bridging The Gap Between Public Concern And Global Pursuit

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Democratic PA House Members Propose Reduction In Nuclear Reactor Fees Paid To DEP To Support Radiation Monitoring, Inspections, Oversight Based On Reactor Size   [PDF of Article]

-- Utility Dive: DOE: PJM Faces Possible Long-Term ‘Energy Emergency;’ Consumer Advocates Say A ‘Concern’ Is Not An ‘Emergency’

[Posted: September 3, 2025]  PA Environment Digest