Union Of Concerned Scientists Reports 16 A.I./Data Center Electric Transmission Projects In PA Imposed $461.8 Million In Costs On Ratepayers In 2024

The Union of Concerned Scientists has released a policy brief on electric transmission costs from A.I./data center projects imposed $4.3 billion in costs on utility ratepayers during 2024 in the PJM Interconnection service area, with billions still to come.

These costs come from local transmission upgrades made to provide transmission-level service directly to data centers. 

The report shows 16 data center transmission projects in Pennsylvania in 2024 imposed $491.8 million in costs on ratepayers, behind Virginia at $1.988 billion and Ohio at $1.299 billion.

The report says costs are rising because all customers pay for the new transmission lines required to connect new, large data centers. 

Such costs are passed on to all customers because existing rules for recovering the costs of transmission upgrades did not anticipate that individual customers could create such high demand and subsequent high costs.

Click Here for a copy of the report.

Resource Link:

-- PUC Chairman: Model Tariff For Connecting A.I. Data Centers To Local Electric Grid To Be Published For Comment By End Of September  [9.2.25]

NewsClips:

-- Citizens Voice: PPL Receives PUC Approval For Power Lines To Serve Amazon A.I. Data Center At Susquehanna Nuclear Power Plant In Luzerne County 

-- Standard Speaker: PPL Proposes Carbon County Power Line To Feed Another A.I. Data Center  [PDF of Article] 

-- The Citizens Voice: PA Consumer Advocate To Investigate PPL’s Proposed 12-Mile Power Line Project To Feed A.I. Data Center In Luzerne County [PDF of Article]  

-- WNEP: Sugarloaf Twp. Families Push Back Against Proposed PPL Transmission Line Project In Luzerne County To Feed 1,283 Acre, 15 Building A.I. Data Center Campus

[Posted: September 30, 2025]  PA Environment Digest