A state House committee is advancing measures meant to protect Pennsylvanians from negative effects of new data centers.
One measure would require the centers to report their annual water and energy uses.
The other would create a model law that towns and cities could adopt to set guidelines for how and where data centers could be built.
Both bills passed the Democratic-controlled House Energy Committee along party lines.
Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler (D-Philadelphia) said data centers need to be transparent about their potential impacts.
“That is exactly what this legislation aims to do, to make sure there’s transparency and fairness, and make sure the people who live in this commonwealth are protected from any adverse impacts,” Fiedler said.
Grassroots resistance to data centers rises in Pennsylvania
Republican lawmakers said the bills could make the state less competitive in attracting data centers.
Rep. Mike Armanini (R-Elk/Clearfield) said data centers could be the next “industrial revolution.”
“ We can’t miss out on this opportunity and I fear with the way this legislation is written now, it is going to be faulty and we are not going to win this. We must win this,” Armanini said.
The massive computing warehouses are responsible for a huge increase in new electricity demand, which is making prices go up. The proposed facilities are also stirring controversy in host communities, such as Springdale, where residents are concerned about an increase in noise and pollution.
The grid operator for the region that includes Pennsylvania, PJM, said data centers account for nearly all of projected demand growth.
PJM has capped capacity costs until 2030, after pressure from governors in its service region. Capacity markets are used to ensure a future supply of reliable power; this insurance-type cost is a fraction of an electric bill.
The legislation in the state House is part of a few efforts in Harrisburg to make sure data center demand doesn’t hurt ordinary people. The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission is considering optional guidance for how utility companies handle data centers and one lawmaker has proposed making such guidance mandatory. Gov. Josh Shapiro is calling for data center companies to bring their own power supplies, so as not to impact residential electric customers.
