Talen Energy is looking to construct a data center in Montour County, Pennsylvania.

Montour County planning director Greg Molter confirmed the US independent power producer as the company behind two potential projects in the county: a data center and a power station.

Responding to local reports, a Talen spokesperson released a statement outlining the company's plan for 1,300 acres of agricultural and public/semi-public land that it had requested be rezoned for industrial use. It is unclear whether the data center is intended to be colocated with the power plant or if the two are separate projects.

DCD has reached out for further information.

“This change will align the zoning for these parcels with other Talen-owned land in the area. We are still assessing the viability of potential projects, and the rezoning request will help support any potential future development opportunity near the plant, which could include data centers,” the spokesperson said. “The rezoning process will take place publicly, and we look forward to discussing plans at the appropriate time with all stakeholders involved.”

The company originally submitted the request on August 18. The County typically would provide a response within 60 days, however, Talen secured a 60-day extension.

Molter said that the Commission would vote on its recommendation to the Board of Commissioners at the next planning meeting on October 15. The Board would subsequently make the final decision on the request.

The land proposed for rezoning includes a parcel of 100 acres adjacent to the Montour Preserve, a wildlife reserve. Local environmental associations voiced concerns over the proposal, arguing it could have severe impacts on the ecology of the region.

“Any industrial use of this land, including access to the Chillisquaque Creek that runs out into this parcel near the southern border of this land, would have impacts to the ecology, recreational benefits, and other aspects of the Montour Preserve,” said the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association, which supports the management of the preserve.

Talen began developing data centers back in 2021. Through its data center subsidiary Cumulus Data, it broke ground on a hyperscale facility and a separate cryptomine facility in 2023.

It subsequently sold off the 960MW Cumulus data center campus and surrounding land to AWS for a reported $650 million last March, intending to supply the campus via power from the Susquehanna nuclear power plant as part of the deal. However, plans to power the data center behind-the-meter hit a brick wall following the rejection by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) of a proposed Interconnection Service Agreement that would have increased the power supplied to the data center.

Following this, Talen signed a front-of-meter 17-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) to supply AWS with 1.92GW of energy from the nuclear plant. The delivery of the power is expected to be ramped up over the next seven years, with full volume anticipated no later than 2032.