Pennsylvania energy infrastructure expands to meet data center demand

The Williams Companies, Inc. subsidiary Transco is seeking Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approval for the Leidy Access Expansion in Pennsylvania. The proposed US$54.7 million project involves a 3.38-mile, 42-inch-diameter gas loop in Luzerne County, intended to expand capacity by 183,100-dekatherms per day. The company targets a construction start and service commencement in the latter half of 2027.

This expansion occurs amid a significant surge in energy proposals in Southwestern Pennsylvania. Developers have queued 10 natural gas plants and several battery storage sites for the PJM Interconnection regional grid, totaling 22 gigawatts of capacity. This buildout is largely driven by the massive electricity requirements of modern data centers, which have grown from 10 megawatts to potentially requiring a gigawatt of capacity each. While these projects could nearly double the region's electricity supply, market monitors note that many speculative proposals in the PJM queue are frequently withdrawn.