In Case You Missed It: A.I./Data Center Articles - NewClips From Last Week - January 26

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

Winter Storm Fern

-- PJM Interconnect Issues Cold Weather Alert For Western Region Jan. 23 Expanding To Entire PJM Area Jan. 24-27; Regional Grid Could Exceed Winter Demand Record on Jan. 27 & 30  [PaEN] 

-- WNEP: PJM Interconnection: Winter Storm Will Cause Historic Power Grid Strain That Has Never Been Experienced Before

-- Reuters: US Energy Sector Braces For Winter Storm As Crude, Natural Gas Output Fall

-- Reuters: US Refineries Brace For Disruptions As Arctic Blast Hits

-- Bloomberg: Natural Gas Prices Soar 75% In 3 Days As Arctic Cold Grips The US

-- The Center Square: Winter Weather To Disrupt US Natural Gas Production, Increase Prices 

-- Bloomberg: Cold Blast Threatens To Cut US Natural Gas Output By Most Since 2021 Over Next 14 Days, Energy Aspects Says

-- Reuters: US Power Grid Faces Stress Test Amid Arctic Chill, A.I. Data Center Demand; PJM Expected To Set Demand Records

-- Utility Dive: US DOE Orders Diesel Generators To Be Ready As Electric Sector Prepares For Winter Storm Fern; Consumer Advocate Warns The Plan Is Unworkable 

-- Bloomberg: US DOE Calls On A.I. Data Centers To Prepare Backup Power Ahead Of Winter Storm

-- Aboveground Water Pipelines Feeding Shale Gas Drilling Operations Beginning To Freeze Due To Cold Temperatures; Range Resources Incident Reported In Washington County; Notify DEP Of Pipeline Problems  [PaEN]

Energy Prices

-- Post-Gazette - Laura Legere: Shopping For Energy Has Cost PA Residents $400 Million In Overpayments For Gas, Electric In 2024 Alone [‘We’re Starting To See Customers Not Reap The Benefits That Were Promised’]

-- PennLive Guest Essay: PA Families Have A Powerful Tool Against Rising Energy Costs - Shopping For Gas, Electric Suppliers - By Frank Caliva, Retail Energy Supply Association

-- WHYY: As Electricity Rates Soar, PECO Adds $2.5 Million In Aid For Low-Income Customers 

Grid

-- Gov. Shapiro: Major Utilities, Power Producers, Tech Companies, Experts Endorse Federal/Northeast PJM Governors’ Plan To Meet Surging A.I. Data Center Energy Demands - Will PJM Listen?  [PaEN] 

-- Morning Call: PPL Backs Push By President, Shapiro To Bring Down Electric Prices Amid A.I. Data Center Surge 

-- Inside Climate News: Clean Energy Advocates Criticise ‘Glaring’ Omission In White House/Northeast Governor’s Plan To Fuel A.I. Data Centers In PJM Region

-- Utility Dive: PJM Board Calls For Backstop Capacity Auction In New A.I. Data Center Interconnection Plan

-- Utility Dive Guest Essay: A PJM Backstop Capacity Auction Could Fill The Large Load Supply Gap To Address Reliability - By Mac McFarland, Talen Energy CEO

-- Futurism: A.I. Data Centers Pushing Electric Grid Into Meltdown

-- Utility Dive: FERC Commissioners See Progress In PJM A.I. Data Center, Power Supply Plan 

-- WHYY - Susan Phillips: NJ Governor Issues State Of Emergency On Energy Costs; Orders State Regulators To Boost Renewables, Battery Storage In Light Of Rising Electricity Prices

Legislation

-- House Energy Committee Meeting To Consider Bill Giving PUC More Authority To Regulate A.I. Data Centers Moved To Feb. 2  [PaEN]  

-- PA House Committees Hearing: Witnesses Agree - A.I. Data Centers - Real And Purely Speculative - Are Driving Up The Cost Of Electricity; Without Effective Action Energy Increases Will Not End   [PaEN] 

-- WITF: PA Consumer Advocates Urge House Committees To Tax A.I. Data Centers, Offset Home Energy Spikes At Hearing

-- Post-Gazette: PA House Members Hear Warnings On A.I. Data Centers, Rising Electric Costs At Hearing

-- Tribune-Democrat: Electric Grid Concerns Aired By PA Lawmakers As Frigid Weather Settles In

-- The Center Square: NJ, PA Retool Power Load Forecasting Oversight

Public Participation

-- DEP Invites Comments On Individual Stormwater Permit For The 150 Mile Mid-Atlantic Interstate Transmission, LLC Piney-Seward, Erie South Piney Transmission Line Project Thru 8 Counties  [PaEN]

-- Utility Dive: PJM Considering $1.7 Billion Transmission Line Project Across PA Based On Year-Old A.I. Data Center Demand Forecasts Is A ‘Poster Child’ For Overbuilding, According To PA Consumer Advocate

Land Use

-- Guest Essay: A.I. Data Centers Are Taking Our Beautiful Towns Away, We Need Help! - By Donna Jensen, Resident of Wapwallopen, Luzerne County [PaEN]

-- Concerned Residents Of Western PA To Host Feb. 1 Community Gathering On Proposed Homer City Power Plant And A.I. Data Center In Indiana County  [PaEN]   

-- TribLive: TECfusion A.I. Data Center Meeting Postponed In Upper Burrell Twp. To February Due To Weather In Allegheny County 

-- Scranton Times: Ransom Twp. Supervisors Reject A.I. Data Center Zoning Amendment Requested By Developer  [PDF of Article]

-- Morning Call: Residents Push Back Against A.I. Data Center Planned Across From Parkland H.S.: ‘I Do Not Want This In My Backyard’  

-- Scranton Times: Jessup Borough Denies Breaker Street A.I. Data Centers  [PDF of Article]

-- Scranton Times: Wildcat Ridge A.I. Data Center In Archbald To Use Huge Amounts Of Power, Water  [PDF of Article]

-- Scranton Times: Scranton City Council Wants Info On Tapping Lake Scranton Water Supply To Cool A.I. Data Center   [PDF of Article]

-- Scranton Times - Chris Kelly Opinion: A.I. Data Centers Set To Make Us Second Class Citizens Of Data Center Valley  [PDF of Article] 

-- Scranton Times Chris Kelly Opinion: The Cumulative Impacts Of A.I. Data Center Development [PDF of Article] 

-- Scranton Times: Scranton Could Feel Impact Of A.I. Data Centers Built In Ransom Twp., Elsewhere [PDF of Article]

-- Scranton Times: Dickson City To Hold 2nd Hearing Jan. 20 On A.I. Data Center Ordinance [PDF of Article]

-- Scranton Times: Dickson City Residents Overwhelmingly Oppose A.I. Data Centers At Public Hearing  [PDF of Article]

-- The Citizens Voice: Hollenback Twp. Residents Rally Against A.I. Data Center Campus On Rural Land In Luzerne County  [PDF of Article]

-- PA Capital-Star Guest Essay: Beyond NIMBY vs. Progress: How Pennsylvania Can Secure A ‘Durable Yes’ For A.I. Data Centers [Honestly Address Issues Of Concern] - By Desmond Daley, Pittsburgh Resident

Impacts

-- Scranton Times: Lackawanna County Commissioner: Legislature Should Authorize County-Level A.I. Data Center Impact Fees   [PDF of Article]

-- PennLive Letter: A.I. Thirst For Water Threatens Pennsylvania’s Wells - By Barbara Brandom, MD

A.I. Policy

-- Spotlight PA: Utility And A.I. Interests Spending Millions Lobbying Congress, President To Support Data Center Boom

[Posted: January 25, 2026]  PA Environment Digest