In Case You Missed It: A.I./Data Center Articles - NewClips From Last Week - January 12

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

Energy Prices

-- Spotlight PA: As PA Energy Prices Rise, Advocates Skeptical That Lawmakers Will Put Aside Partisan Differences

-- Washington & Jefferson College: Electric Bills Will Continue To Rise After PJM Auction Due To A.I. Data Center Power Demand Increases

-- TribLive: Pittsburgh Area Dollar Energy Fund Sees Requests For Heating Assistance Double From Last Year

-- TribLive: PA Consumers Have Options To Save On Utility Bills This Winter  

-- Observer-Reporter: Keeping Warm While Saving Energy Amid Rising Utility Costs

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: A Training Center In Homewood Teaches Home Energy Efficiency

-- Bloomberg: A.I. Data Center Demand Added $6.5 Billion To PJM Interconnect Ratepayer Costs In Last Auction; $23.1 Billion In Costs June 2025 Through May 2028 

-- Utility Dive: A.I. Data Center Demand Was 40% Of The $47.2 Billion Cost Imposed On PJM Electric Ratepayers In Last Auction: PJM Market Monitor 

-- Inside Climate News: Looking Ahead To A Deepening Affordability Crisis, An Election And The Threat Of An A.I. Investment Bubble

Electric Grid

-- PennFuture News: There Isn’t Enough Energy For You And A.I. Data Centers In The PJM Grid, So Who Gets It? 

-- Canary Media: Is The US Headed Toward An Electricity Crisis Of Its Own Making As A Result Of A.I. Data Center Demand, President’s Policies? 

-- Utility Dive: Electric Utilities Under Pressure: 6 Power Sector Trends To Watch In 2026

-- PJM Interconnection: 2025 Year In Review Part II: PJM Revised Market Rules With Goal Of Supporting Efficiency, Increasing Generation Resources  [PaEN]

-- Sen. Yaw Hosts Another Meeting To Discuss Outlook For PJM Electric Grid 

Locking Up Generation For A.I.

-- Vistra Corp Buys 2 More PA Natural Gas Power Plants; Facebook/Meta Buys 20 Years Of Power From Beaver Valley Nuclear Plant; 18 PA Power Plants Now Locked Up To Feed A.I. Data Centers  [PaEN]

-- Vistra Corp Acquires Cogentrix Energy Natural Gas Power Plants, Including 2 In PA - Patriot, Hamilton-Liberty - As Part Of Strategy To Feed A.I. Data Centers [Locking Up More Energy For Machines]

-- Utility Dive: Vistra To Buy Cogentrix Energy’s 5.5 GW Of Natural Gas Power Plants As Part Of Strategy To Feed A.I. Data Centers [2 In PA] 

-- Bloomberg: Vistra Corp. Buying 10 More Gas Power Plants In New England, Texas To Deepen A.I. Energy Bet

-- AP: Facebook/Meta Signs 3 Nuclear Power Deals To Support Its A.I. Data Centers, Including Beaver Valley Nuclear Plant  [Locks Up More Power Exclusively For Data Centers From PA Power Plants]

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: Facebook/Meta Pledges 2 Decades Of Support For Beaver Valley Nuclear Power Plant For Its A.I. Data Centers

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Facebook/Meta Signs Deal To Expand Vistra’s Beaver Valley Nuclear Plant Capacity [Locks Up More Power Exclusively For A.I. Data Centers] [PDF of Article]

-- Reuters: Facebook/Meta Strikes Nuclear Power Agreements With 3 Companies, Including Beaver Valley Power Plant, For A.I. Data Center Power 

Impacts

-- Lancaster Farming: PA Congressmen Seek Silver Lining On Rural A.I. Data Centers,  Concerned About Impact On Farmland, Rural Economy   [PDF of Article]

-- The Daily Yonder: The A.I. Data Center Rush In Appalachia, Rural Communities Push Back 

-- Wash Post: A.I. Data Center Rebellion Is Here And It’s Reshaping The Political Landscape  [PA Highlighted]  [PDF of Article] 

Land Use

-- Scranton Times: Archbald Residents Potentially Impacted By Data Center Developments Appeal A.I. Data Center Zoning Ordinance In Lackawanna County  [PDF of Article]

-- Scranton Times: Lackawanna County To Hold Open Houses Starting Jan. 15 On Plans For Upvalley Zoning Collaborative To Guide Future Land Use, Including A.I. Data Centers [PDF of Article]

- Scranton Times: Proposed Project Gravity A.I. Data Center In Archbald To Pump 360,000 GPD From Lake Scranton Drinking Water Reservoir  [PDF of Article]

-- Scranton Times: Summary Of Issues Raised At DEP Info Session On Archbald A.I. Data Center Campus

-- WNEP: Residents Voice Concerns Over A.I. Data Center Plan In Archbald, Lackawanna County 

-- Scranton Times: Jan. 6 DEP Hearing Offers Closer Look At Proposed A.I. Data Center Campus In Archbald, Lackawanna County [PDF of Article] 

-- Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader: Jenkins Twp. Residents Rally Against Rezoning Abandoned Mine Land To Industrial Use At Standing-Room-Only Hearing [Concerns About Possible Data Center]

-- Morning Call: Could The Lehigh Valley’s Eastern End Be Next Hot Spot For A.I. Data Centers? [PDF of Article]

-- Republican Herald: East Union Twp. To Consider Rules For A.I. Data Centers At Jan. 15 Hearing In Schuylkill County  [PDF of Article] 

-- PennLive - Charles Thompson: Massive Carlisle-Area A.I. Data Center Project Gets Subdivision Approval By Middlesex Township, Cumberland County

Legislation

-- Sen. Boscola To Introduce 6-Bill Package To Protect Pennsylvania Communities And Ratepayers From Large-Scale A.I. Data Centers Rapidly Expanding Across The State  [PaEN] 

-- The Center Square: Sen. Boscola To Introduce Consumer Protection Package For A.I. Data Centers

-- Republican Herald Editorial: State Must Aggressively Seek Regulations Specific To A.I. Data Centers [PDF of Article]

-- Inside Climate News: Virginia Regulators Approve New Dominion Energy Rates, Assign More Costs To A.I. Data Center, But Didn’t Go Far Enough To Protect Ratepayers, Consumer Advocates Say

-- PA Capital-Star: In 2026, More A.I. Data Center Regulations Could Be Coming In Maryland; PJM Regulator Asks For Rules To Prevent Centers From Connecting To Grid Without Their Own Power

A.I. Policy

-- Spotlight PA: Judges Are Identifying Suspected A.I. Hallucinations In PA Court Cases, Including One At The Highest Levels

[Posted: January 11, 2026]  PA Environment Digest