Pennsylvania has 10 gas plants and battery storage projects in the PJM interconnection queue, with combined capacity to nearly double the region's power supply.
Southwestern Pennsylvania is at the center of a wave of new generation proposals that would rapidly expand the state's electricity supply. The pipeline includes 10 natural gas plants and several battery storage sites totaling 22 gigawatts of capacity—an enormous buildout for a single region.
Near Pittsburgh, developers have queued up gas-fired generation to add over 20 gigawatts to PJM Interconnection, the regional grid spanning 13 Mid-Atlantic states. Planned battery projects in the area would add additional backup capacity.
Pennsylvania currently has approximately 45 gigawatts installed across power plants, wind turbines, and solar panels, according to the Electric Power Outlook from the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, while statewide peak demand runs roughly 30 gigawatts. The proposed battery projects alone would roughly equal the capacity of three nuclear reactors.
Projected electricity demand from data centers is driving much of this expansion. "If you go back just two to three years ago, a large data center was 10 megawatts," said Mike Kramer, vice president of data economy strategy at Constellation. He noted that data centers under 200 megawatts are now unusual, with some requiring a gigawatt of capacity. "The data center era has introduced a gold rush for natural gas," according to Jon Gordon, senior policy director of Advanced Energy United.
However, not all queued projects will reach completion. Monitoring Analytics, the market monitor for PJM Interconnection, found that 50 to 90 percent of facilities seeking grid connections were withdrawn. PJM has also adopted new rules to make it harder for speculative proposals to crowd the queue.
The real estate market reflects these shifts. Large industrial sites are no longer judged solely by acreage but also require a credible "power story," including access to nearby substations and natural gas pipelines, according to Dan Adamski, executive managing director at real estate firm JLL.
Pennsylvania's electric power sector pollution declined significantly, falling to roughly half its 2005 levels by 2023 following plant closures. However, Homer City Generation holds state approval to release 17.6 million tons of carbon dioxide annually—more than a quarter of Pennsylvania's 2023 electric power pollution.
Battery storage projects are planned across Allegheny, Beaver, Cambria, Fayette, and Washington counties, including at former coal and power plants. These facilities could shift electricity to times when grid demand peaks. Companies are increasingly seeking contracts from hyperscalers and other large electricity users before committing billions to new plants. Industry estimates put the cost of a 1-gigawatt gas plant at approximately $2.5 billion. "It would be great for this area if it would come to fruition," said Jerrod Murtha, executive director of the Fay-Penn Economic Development Council.