Pennsylvania lawmakers exploring how to regulate data centers, which drive up residents' utility bills

As more data centers are approved in southwestern Pennsylvania, including in Springdale Borough, state lawmakers are taking steps to make sure the centers pay their fair share and are good neighbors in their communities.

These centers are moving into the region at a fast pace, and Pennsylvania Sen. Lindsey Williams of District 38 knows this firsthand.

"[A center] is actually using and can use as much power as the city of Pittsburgh," Williams said.

She's been reading up and listening to the experts as more plans are proposed and approved, including in her district in Springdale, where Tuesday night, the borough council voted in favor of a "conditional use permit" for a data center to be built at the site of the former Cheswick Generating Station.

"We're trying to catch up and make sure that we protect our constituents in the process," Williams said.

The General Assembly is proposing legislation left and right, with Williams sponsoring a bill to make sure data center companies are paying into consumer assistance programs that would help people with their electric bills. Data centers are causing rates to rise, even before they're built.

"The speculation of data centers coming has already increased the prices that you are seeing in your in your utility bills," Williams said.

She's also co-sponsoring a bill to ensure these centers pay for any new power generation constructed by electric companies to help the centers operate.

"If there is additional buildout needed to make sure that the grid is reliable, and that we can still turn on our lights at home, that company should pay for that buildout, not the everyday average residential customer," Williams said.

At the same time, State Rep. Mandy Steele of District 33 also introduced a bill backed by the Shapiro administration that would establish a central authority to help streamline the process for building these large reliable energy projects.

According to the bill, what would be called the "Reliable Energy Siting and Electric Transition Board" would speed up permitting and approvals in a way that's efficient, safe and protects the environment and our health.

Currently, Pennsylvania is one of only a handful of states without one, and instead relies on local government to oversee these projects, which the bill said causes delays and other problems. However, this board would be made up of leaders from state agencies and business and trade organizations.

Williams plans to introduce her bill early in the new year. The one she's co-sponsoring was just introduced the other day. It's unclear where Steele's bill stands, as it was last referred to the energy committee in April.