Talen Energy’s Data Center Strategy Hits Local Roadblock

A critical zoning decision has delivered a significant setback to Talen Energy’s expansion plans in Pennsylvania. The company’s strategy to directly power energy-intensive data centers, particularly for artificial intelligence applications, from its existing power plants has encountered formidable local opposition.

The Montour County Planning Commission delivered a decisive blow on December 1, voting 6 to 1 against a requested rezoning of 1,300 acres of land. This procedural step was a fundamental prerequisite for Talen’s proposed billion-dollar data center campus, which envisioned a complex of up to 15 buildings. The project’s intended location was adjacent to the company’s own 1,528-megawatt natural gas power plant, a cornerstone of its plan to monetize Read more...