NEWPORT TWP., PA — Newport Township has issued preliminary zoning permits for a proposed development that could bring 15 data centers—each powered by its own dedicated natural gas power plant—to a rural tract of land in Luzerne County.
Township Manager Joe Hillan announced the issuance of the permits during a recent commissioners' meeting, marking the first formal step for the ambitious, energy-intensive technology project.
Municipal officials declined to disclose the developer's identity or specific financial details, noting that land negotiations between the developer and the property owner remain active and ongoing. The proposed site is situated on land located between the township’s Glen Lyon and Lee sections.
Earlier this year, Newport Township established its own municipal zoning board and adopted a revised zoning ordinance. Under the new guidelines, data centers are permitted by right in designated mixed-use zoning districts and allowed as permitted uses within industrial districts.
Hillan stated that following the administrative issuance of the zoning permits, the ultimate decision to move forward with land development plans rests with the township's elected Board of Commissioners. Responding to potential community concerns regarding industrial proximity, several township officials emphasized that the proposed complex and on-site generation facilities are positioned away from residential neighborhoods and major thoroughfares.
If approved through the full land development process, the project would join a growing trend across Northeast Pennsylvania where developers seek to construct "behind-the-meter" natural gas facilities to meet the massive, uninterrupted power requirements of artificial intelligence and cloud computing infrastructure.