DOE projects data center demand could double nationally
PA NUCLEAR SHARE OF GRID
~34%
Pennsylvania's nuclear generation as share of in-state power
FERC INTERCONNECTION QUEUE
2,600+
Projects awaiting grid interconnection approval nationally as of 2024
US Data Center Electricity Demand — Historical and Projected (TWh/year)
ACTUAL
PROJECTED
2006 — First hyperscale era
Google, Amazon begin building dedicated campus data centers at scale.
2016 — Cloud boom
AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud expansions drive renewed demand growth.
2022 — AI inflection
ChatGPT launch and GPU cluster buildout sharply accelerate projections.
2026 — Shapiro EO
Pennsylvania Governor Shapiro signs executive order on data center development (Aug 22, 2026).
Governor Shapiro's executive order, signed August 22, 2026, directs Pennsylvania state agencies to streamline data center permitting, evaluate economic incentives, and assess grid and environmental impacts. The order comes as the Department of Energy projects national data center electricity demand could reach 400 TWh by 2028 — double the 2023 level — and as communities near proposed sites in Allegheny County have raised concerns about grid strain, water use, and noise.