Pennsylvania AI Data Center Expansion Raises Power and Water Concerns

Local leaders in Pittsburgh and surrounding Allegheny County are urging caution over a surge in AI data center projects, warning that the facilities’ massive electricity and cooling water needs could strain the regional grid and raise utility costs for residents. Mayor Corey O'Connor publicly opposed any data center within the city, and nearby municipalities have enacted moratoriums to limit such development.

Amazon Web Services is evaluating the 3,200‑acre Homer City natural‑gas power plant site in Indiana County as a potential data‑center campus, part of its pledged $20 billion investment in Pennsylvania. State officials have been in ongoing discussions with Amazon about site use, wastewater treatment, and the presence of plugged gas wells, while the property owner has declined comment. The proposals highlight the tension between economic incentives and infrastructure capacity in the state.