IEP is planning a 944 MW behind-the-meter gas plant in Pennsylvania to power a new data center, supplemented by battery storage and a backup existing grid connection. (Utility Dive)
Essential Utilities is investing $26M, with its subsidiaries Peoples (gas supply/management) and Aqua (water treatment facility) providing infrastructure for the project. It’s slated to be operational in early 2029.
Why it matters: The project bypasses PJM’s interconnection queue—part of a growing trend as data center developers look to colocated generation to secure capacity.