Coal-fired power plant, now retired, to become massive gas-powered campus for AI, data centers

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

Coal-fired power plant, now retired, to become massive gas-powered campus for AI, data centers

By MARC LEVY
Updated 5:00 PM EDT, April 2, 2025

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The owners of what was once Pennsylvania’s biggest coal-fired power plant said Wednesday that they will turn it into a $10 billion natural gas-powered data center campus designed to capitalize on the fast-growing energy demands of Big Tech companies to power artificial intelligence and cloud computing applications.

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.

That amount of electricity is enough to power about 3 million homes. It 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.

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Read more: https://apnews.com/article/technology-ai-natural-gas-electricity-pennsylvania-450534992fab8dd3527b64b92614259e

[efhmc]

1. Sounds like a good thing. Is it?

[NNadir]

2. No fossil fuel plant is a good thing.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

3. Former Western Pennsylvania power plant turning into largest natural gas-powered data center

Hat tip, The Wall Street Journal. The story, "Coal Plant Makes Way For Big AI Data Center," is on the first page of the second section.

I think its smokestacks were the tallest in Pennsylvania. Wikipedia will know.

Former Western Pennsylvania power plant turning into largest natural gas-powered data center
The former Homer City Generating Station in Indiana County, Pennsylvania, will become an energy campus designed to meet the growing AI and high-performance computing needs of tech companies.

Updated: 1:48 PM EDT Apr 2, 2025
Ava Rash
Reporter

HOMER CITY, Pa. — Homer City Redevelopment and Kiewit are turning the former Homer City Generating Station into the largest natural gas-powered data center in North America.

The stacks and cooling stations were demolished last month. Construction will start this year to turn the former coal-fired power plant into the Homer City Energy Campus.

Officials say it is designed to meet the growing AI and high-performance computing needs of tech companies.

Andrew Shannahan, a partner at Knighthead, said this site was picked for a reason. ... "That infrastructure is just uniquely situated in order to sustain and support building the largest natural gas power plant in the country and all of the data centers and other emerging technologies that are out there that are demanding power," he said.

RELATED: Gov. Shapiro rolls out "lightning plan" to fast-track and subsidize power plants in Pennsylvania

The project will create more than 10,000 construction jobs and about 1,000 positions in technology, operations and energy infrastructure.

{snip}

Explosions used to demolish stacks at former Homer City Generating Station

WTAE-TV Pittsburgh
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11,739 views Mar 22, 2025
Explosions used to demolish stacks at former Homer City Generating Station

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