A development group has acquired the former Cheswick Generating Station coal site in Springdale, Pennsylvania, with plans to build a large-scale data center campus.

First reported by the Pittsburgh Business Times, Allegheny DC Property Co. LLC purchased the 47.2-acre property for $14.3 million on November 19, according to Allegheny County land records. The seller was Cheswick Plant Environmental Redevelopment, an entity owned by Charah Environmental. The company acquired the property in 2022.

The 565MW coal power plant was retired in 2022, with demolition and cleanup ongoing since March, following the removal of the old boiler house. Charah has since carried out extensive environmental remediation to prepare the land for reuse.

Reports first surfaced that the site could be set for a data center development back in May.

Plans call for a 565,000 sq ft (52,490 sqm) data center building alongside a 200,000 sq ft (18,580 sqm) utility structure. The facility is designed for high-density compute and AI workloads and would support up to 180MW of IT load, with additional capacity allocated for cooling and mechanical systems.

Springdale’s planning commission has already approved the conditional use application with conditions. The borough council is scheduled to vote on the proposal on December 16. According to the developer, additional conditions are expected as part of the final approval process.

If the project receives approval, design and engineering work would occur during the next six to nine months, with permitting expected to be acquired in Q3 2026. Following this, construction at the site is expected to start in 2027, and the facility is expected to come online in 2028.

According to reports, the site has mostly been cleared for use; however, further work is needed. The purchase agreement subsequently includes provisions addressing remaining mercury contamination, stormwater management from surrounding hillsides, and protection of a historic cemetery located on the property.

Power for the facility is expected to be supplied via the regional grid, with the developers currently conducting power studies with FirstEnergy and Duquesne Light.