As the midterms loom just weeks away, one political football is being volleyed about, most notably in the Keystone State.
Pennsylvania voters are hearing more and more of the term “data center” in campaign ads this election season. Many Bucks County residents have been familiar with the term well before election season, as a number of proposed data centers, including the former site of US Steel in Fairless Hills, have been targeted for the county and surrounding region.
But as politicians either throw shade on date centers or sing their praises, rarely is there much explanation of what the facilities are or what they actually do.
Data centers have become a flashpoint in the state's political debate as candidates argue over their potential effects
on electric bills, water supplies, jobs and local communities.
Under an executive order announced by Gov. Josh Shapiro, data center developers are required to "pay the full cost of all energy needed to power their project" while also meeting environmental, transparency and community-benefit requirements, according to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
The issue has grown so prominent that Pennsylvania recently launched a public Data Center Permit Tracker showing proposed projects, their locations and the status of associated environmental permits. State officials say Pennsylvania is aware of at least 100 proposed data centers, although most have not formally entered the state permitting process.
At its most basic level, a data center is a building or campus filled with computers, servers and networking equipment that stores, processes and distributes digital information. Email, online banking, streaming platforms, cloud storage, mobile apps and government systems all rely on data centers. Artificial intelligence has accelerated demand for new facilities, but data centers have supported the internet and other digital services for decades.
Here is what data centers are used for, where they are located in Pennsylvania and why they have become such a contentious election issue.
What is a data center?
A data center is a physical facility that houses large numbers of computer servers and networking systems. The facilities are designed to store information, process data and move that information between users, businesses and organizations.
Many operate around the clock and include backup power systems, cooling equipment and security controls to keep services running.
What are data centers used for?
Data centers support many of the services people use every day, including:
- Online banking
- Streaming television and movies
- Cloud computing
- Social media platforms
- Mobile apps
- Government systems
- Business networks
- Artificial intelligence computing
That means data centers are not solely AI facilities. Long before the recent AI boom, companies relied on data centers to store websites, customer information, software applications and digital records.
Why are politicians arguing about data centers?
Data centers have become such a controversial issue in Pennsylvania that state officials recently launched a public online tracker showing proposed projects and their permitting status. The map allows residents to see where facilities are being proposed and follow environmental reviews as debates over electricity use, water resources and local impacts continue.
The Data Center Permit Tracker shows proposed projects and their environmental permitting status. The state says the tracker was created as proposals continue to generate public interest and debate.
Where are data centers in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania already has operating data centers and a growing number of proposed facilities. Existing facilities are concentrated around major population and business centers, including the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh regions. Philadelphia metropolitan area is home to several major facilities, including data centers located in Fairless Hills and near North Broad Street.
According to Pennsylvania's data center permit tracker, proposed projects are being discussed or reviewed in communities across the commonwealth.
Click here to view map of proposed data centers in Pennsylvania.
Several large projects have recently generated attention, including a proposed Amazon Web Services campus in Indiana County and projects in Beaver, Lackawanna and other counties.
Are data centers only used for AI?
Artificial intelligence has increased demand for computing power, but data centers have existed for decades.
Most facilities support a mix of internet services, cloud computing, data storage, communication networks and enterprise technology systems. AI is only one of many workloads that can operate inside a data center.
How many data centers are being proposed in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania officials say the commonwealth is aware of at least 100 proposed data center projects and has created a public map and permit tracker to give residents more information about developments being discussed around the state.
Why are data centers becoming more common?
Demand for digital services continues to grow, and companies are building more computing infrastructure to support internet traffic, cloud services and AI applications.
That growth has made Pennsylvania an attractive location because of its available land, power infrastructure and proximity to major East Coast population centers.
Maria Francis is a Pennsylvania-based journalist covering trending and breaking topics across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions for USA Today Network. Reach her at mfrancis@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: What do data centers do and why PA politicians keep talking about them?
