The High Cost of AI: How Data Centers are Reshaping Pennsylvania’s Energy Landscape

Pennsylvania has long been a powerful energy exporter, but that legacy has often come at a steep environmental cost. Now, the state is poised to meet energy demand from power-hungry data centers. Pennsylvania now faces more than 60 data center proposals, with many more proposed in nearby states such as Virginia, home to “Data Center Alley” and more than 150 energy-intensive hyperscale data centers. Unfortunately, this demand is driving the buildout of expensive and polluting fossil fuel power plants and delaying the retirement of existing power plants.

A new report, “The High Cost of AI: How Data Centers Are Reshaping Pennsylvania’s Energy Landscape” (www.cleanegroup.org/PADataCenters) details the impacts of rising energy demand from data centers in Pennsylvania and explains how the current trajectory will increase fossil fuel energy generation, raise energy costs, and worsen local air quality. The report includes recommendations for how community advocates and policymakers can push back against potentially harmful data center growth in their state.

In this webinar, contributing report authors and experts from Clean Energy Group (CEG), Clean Air Council (CAC), and Pennsylvania Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR PA) will delve into how data center-driven energy demand is driving up utility bills while jeopardizing climate and environmental progress for the state. Speakers will also address strategies to combat harms from irresponsible data center proposals at the regulatory, state, and local levels.