Shuttered Coal Plant to Become Gas-Powered Energy Generation Facility
What was once Pennsylvania’s largest coal-fired power plant is getting a new life as a $10 billion gas-powered data center (AP).
What’s going on: “The former Homer City Generating Station, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) east of Pittsburgh, will host seven gas-fired turbines to power data centers on site with up to 4.5 gigawatts of electricity, according to the owners, an investor group named Homer City Development.”
- Once operational, the new 3,200-plus-acre campus “would be the nation’s largest gas-fired power plant and the nation’s third-largest power generation facility after the Grand Coulee hydroelectric dam in Washington and the new Plant Vogtle nuclear power plant in Georgia, according to federal data.”
- Construction on the project is expected to begin this year, and power could begin flowing by 2027.
Upcycling opportunity: A lot of the critical infrastructure for the campus already exists: leftovers from the Homer City plant, including transmission lines connected to the mid-Atlantic and New York electrical grids, as well as water access and substations.
- The developers received a $5 million Pennsylvania state grant to extend a gas line to the site, which is in the gas-rich Marcellus Shale region.
- Last month, they tore down the cooling towers and smokestacks of the old coal plant, which closed in 2023 after operating for 54 years.
Why it’s important: The growing demand for generative artificial intelligence products, which typically require large amounts of power, has sent technology companies on the hunt for new power sources.
- The planned site is expected to produce enough electricity to power about 3 million homes—and it could also supply the larger power grid with electricity, according to the developers.
Our view: “Natural gas is a critical component of American energy dominance, and this project will provide reliable and affordable energy to power innovation,” said NAM Vice President of Domestic Policy Chris Phalen.