In Case You Missed It: A.I./Data Center Articles - NewClips From Last Week - February 9

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

Energy Costs

-- Independent Fiscal Office Reports PA Electricity Prices Increased 46.1% From 2018 to 2025, More Than Other PJM States, Largely Due To Pennsylvania's Reliance On Natural Gas-Fired Electric Generation  [PaEN] 

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: PA Electricity Rates Jump 46% Since 2018, Outpacing Neighboring States, Due To Reliance On Natural Gas To Generate Electricity [PDF of Article]

-- Morning Call: Lehigh Valley Officials Want Congressional Help To Protect Consumers From A.I. Data Center-Driven Rising Energy Costs

-- WHYY: Gov. Shapiro Says Investor-Owned Electric, Gas Utilities Making Too Much Profit At The Expense Of Ratepayers 

-- PA Capital-Star: Should A.I. Data Centers Pay Up Front Or Build Their Own Power Plants?  PJM, State Governors Have Different Ideas On How To Fix Your Electricity Bill 

-- Guest Essay: A.I. Data Centers Pose Big Challenge For PA's Energy Future - Dramatically Increasing Costs For Energy Consumers, And It's Not Getting Any Cheaper - By Tom Gilbert, Pennsylvania Environmental Council   [PaEN]

-- Observer-Reporter Guest Essay: PA’s Energy Bills Out Of Control - Unleash PA Energy Industry - By Rep. Tim O’Neal (R-Washington)

-- Financial Times: The Political Cost Of America’s Surging Electricity Bills Driven By A.I. Data Centers 

-- Utility Dive: US EIA: Natural Gas, Electricity Prices Spiked Year Over Year In November: Natural Gas Up 88.5%, Electricity Rates Rose 20.3% In PA 

Governor’s Data Center Proposals

-- Gov. Shapiro’s Proposed Budget Includes Performance Standards For Data Centers Seeking State Tax Credits; Renewed Call For Lightning Energy Plan; New PUC Benchmarks For Utility Profits  [PaEN] 

-- Reactions To Gov. Shapiro's Proposed Budget From Citizen, Environmental, Energy, Industry, Utility Groups  [PaEN]  

Legislation

-- House Committee OKs Bill To Give PUC More Authority To Regulate A.I. Data Centers, Other Large Loads To Protect Ratepayers, Electric Grid  [PaEN] 

-- Capitolwire.com: Senate Committee Amends, Does Not Report Out Bill Requiring Data Centers To Bring Their Own Power, Respecting Local Decisions  [PaEN]  

-- City & State PA: PA Lawmakers Show Bipartisan Interest In Standards For A.I. Data Centers

-- House Passes Bills Authorizing Clean Manufacturing, Reduce Fees For Small Nuclear Reactors, Advances Solar Warehouse Bill  [PaEN]  

-- Reps. Matzie, Mehaffie Laud Passage Of Bill To Clear The Way For Construction Of Modular Nuclear Reactors [House Bill 2017]

-- Senate Passes Sen. Yaw Bill To Identify Sites For Natural Gas Power Plants [Except That Isn’t The Problem At All] [Senate Bill 704]

Electric Grid

-- PJM Interconnection Issues Cold Weather Alert For Feb. 7 to 9 Across Its Entire Footprint  [PaEN] 

-- PJM Interconnection Reviews January Cold Weather Operations 

-- The Center Square: Single Digit Temperatures Challenge PJM Power Grid

Generation

- Wall Street Journal: Google Is Spending Big To Build A Lead In A.I. Energy Race By Buying Energy Companies  [PJM Highlighted] [PDF of Article]

-- MarketPlace: US Is Planning 250+ GW Of New Natural Gas Power Generation For A.I. Data Centers [For The Machines, Not For People]

-- Utility Dive: Coal-Fired Power Plant Owners Say US DOE ‘Emergency’ Order To Run Plants Constitutes An Unconstitutional Physical Taking And Regulatory Taking’ Of Their Property 

-- NYT: President’s Administration Is Blocking At Least 73 GW Of Much-Needed Solar Electricity Generation, 5.8 GW Of Wind Generation 

Land Use

-- Scranton Times Chris Kelly Opinion: A.I. Data Center Race A Marathon, Not A Sprint [PDF of Article]

-- NE PA Institute For Public Policy & Economic Development: Exploring The Dynamics Surrounding Data Centers In Northeastern Pennsylvania

-- Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader: A.I. Data Center Zoning Amendment Proposed For 20 Luzerne County-Covered Municipalities

-- Scranton Times: Six A.I. Data Center Campuses Proposed In Archbald To Cover 14% Of Borough Land In Lackawanna County [PDF of Article]

-- Scranton Times: Lackawanna County Judge Vacates Settlement Between Clifton Township, A.I. Data Center Developer That Excluded The Township’s Zoning Hearing Board  [PDF of Article]

-- Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader: Hollenback Twp. Residents Mobilize Against A.I. Data Centers Ahead Of Feb. 18 Public Hearing In Luzerne County 

-- The Citizens Voice: Rural Landowners In Luzerne County Offered $175,000/Acre For A.I. Data Center Takeover In Hollenback Twp.  [PDF of Article] 

-- Observer-Reporter: Local Ordinances Important Tool In Regulating A.I. Data Centers In Washington County [PDF of Article]

-- TribLive - Jack Troy: Sprawling A.I. Data Center Campus, Converting The Closed Bruce Mansfield Power Plant Into A 3.6 GW Natural Gas Power Plant In Shippingport, Beaver County  

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: $10 Billion A.I. Data Center Campus, Natural Gas Power Plant Proposed For Former Bruce Mansfield Power Plant Site In Beaver County  [Shippingport Boro Approved Jan. 28, Another Hearing To Be Set]  [PDF of Article] 

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Here Are More Details On The $10 Billion Shippingport A.I. Data Center Project Near Bruce Mansfield Power Plant Site: 593 Acres, 2 Million Square Feet [PDF of Article]

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Vistra Energy Beaver Valley Nuclear Power Plant VP Talks Meta/Facebook Deal, Planned 140 MW Uprate At Nuclear Plant https://tinyurl.com/3c46zxjz [PDF of Article] 

-- TribLive: Opponents Of Homer City 4.5 GW Natural Gas Power Plant, Data Center Campus Air Concerns At Community Gathering In Indiana County

-- Indiana Gazette: ‘CROWS’ Offer Alternative Perspective On Proposed Homer City A.I. Data Center, 4.5 GW Natural Gas Power Plant

-- Observer-Reporter: The A.I. Data Center Boom: What To Expect From Facilities In Southwest PA  [PDF of Article]

-- The Derrick: Clarion Borough Holds Public Hearing On A.I. Data Center Ordinance  [PDF of Article]

-- LancasterOnline: A.I. Data Center Noise A Concern For Lancaster City Planning Commission  [PDF of Article]

-- WHYY: Proposed 1.2 GW Delaware City A.I. Data Center Hits Major Setback From Environmental Regulators In Delaware

-- Wall Street Journal: These Rural Americans Are Trying To Hold Back The Tide Of A.I. - Fears Of Rising Utility Costs, Job Losses, Privacy Violations  [PDF of Article]

Public Participation

-- DEP Invites Comments On Permit For Homer City Generation 5.8 Mile, 30-Inch Natural Gas Pipeline To Serve Proposed Data Center 4.5 GW Power Plant In Indiana County  [PaEN] 

-- Clean Energy Group, Partners Host Feb. 25 Webinar On The High Cost Of A.I. - How Data Centers Are Reshaping Pennsylvania's Energy Landscape  [PaEN] 

Impacts

-- WVIA: Residents Fear Negative Impacts On Water Resources As A.I. Data Centers Are Proposed Across Northeast PA 

-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Guardian Newsletter Highlights A.I. Data Center Water Use  [PaEN]   

-- WPost: The A.I. Data Center Boom Is So Huge It’s Causing Shortages Everywhere From Electricians To Energy 

[Posted: February 8, 2026]  PA Environment Digest