Around the Local

America's largest power grid is struggling to meet the enormous electricity demands driven by artificial intelligence and data center expansion. The grid faces unprecedented challenges as AI applications require massive amounts of energy, forcing utilities to rapidly scale up power generation and transmission infrastructure.
Congressional representatives and industry leaders gathered to discuss Pennsylvania's energy future and the incredible opportunities presented by the state's role in America's energy infrastructure. The discussions focused on leveraging Pennsylvania's natural resources and strategic position to support growing energy demands from AI and data centers.
The Somerset County Farm Bureau is advocating for Pennsylvania Senate Bill 349, which would mandate that solar developers cover the full cost of removing solar equipment and restoring land once facilities are no longer in use. The legislation aims to balance renewable energy growth with long-term protection for farm families and landowners.
AI cloud computing company CoreWeave has selected a Turner Construction-Wohlsen Construction joint venture to build a massive $6 billion data center in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The facility will initially provide 100MW capacity with potential expansion to 300MW, specifically designed for artificial intelligence applications and expected to create approximately 600 construction jobs. Source: enr.com
Proposed Pennsylvania legislation aims to protect residents from bearing the energy costs associated with large-scale data center operations. The bill would establish mechanisms to ensure that the significant power demands of data centers don't result in higher electricity rates for Pennsylvania consumers and businesses. Source: pennbizreport.com