A massive technology development could reshape a former industrial site near Pittsburgh, as a developer proposes building a 3.7-million-square-foot data center campus along with a 1-gigawatt natural gas power plant in Elizabeth Township.
The project is being proposed on approximately 549 acres at a former U.S. Steel landfill. Plans call for between 11 and 28 data-center buildings, potentially making it one of the region's largest developments tied to the growing demand for artificial intelligence and cloud-computing infrastructure.
Former Industrial Site Could Get New Life
The proposed campus would transform a property with a long industrial history into a major technology and energy complex.
The development reflects a broader trend across Pennsylvania, where former industrial sites are increasingly being considered for data centers because of their large size and existing infrastructure. At the same time, these projects can bring significant investment and jobs while creating new demands for electricity, natural gas, roads and other infrastructure.
The proposed 1-gigawatt power plant would provide electricity directly associated with the development, underscoring the enormous amount of power required by modern data centers.
Community Impact Under Review
The scale of the proposal is already raising questions among residents and local officials, particularly regarding environmental impacts, traffic, noise, energy use and the site's former landfill history.
Elizabeth Township officials are preparing for a public town hall on October 13, where residents are expected to have an opportunity to learn more about the proposal and raise concerns.
The project also comes as Pennsylvania faces a growing debate over the rapid expansion of data centers. More than 100 projects have been proposed across the state as companies race to build infrastructure capable of supporting AI and cloud computing.
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