The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission announced it will convene a technical conference on November 17, 2026, to examine the cost to power data centers and their effect on the reliability of the PJM Interconnection grid. The proceeding addresses large computational load cost allocation as data centers rapidly pop up or are proposed across the commonwealth.
Technical Conference Schedule and Location
The daylong proceeding is scheduled for Tuesday, November 17, 2026, running from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Hearing Room 1 of the Commonwealth Keystone Building, located at 400 North Street in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Commissioners will direct questions to industry panelists and engage in structured discussions regarding large computational load cost allocation. The event will be open to the public via a livestream available on the morning of the event through the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission website.
Participation Deadlines and Filing Procedures
Interested parties wishing to participate as panelists must submit an application to CLCATechConference@pa.gov by October 14, 2026. Because of timing constraints, panelist slots are limited. Pre-conference comments must be eFiled with the Secretary of the Commission by November 13, 2026. Following the conference, post-event comments will be accepted until December 18, 2026, at 4:30 p.m. Filings require an active account on the Commission’s eFiling portal.
Regulatory Context and State Policy
Governor Shapiro signed an executive order requiring data center developers to commit to new “Governor’s Responsible Infrastructure Development (GRID) Requirements” while removing all A.I. data center proposals from the state’s Fast Track permitting process. The executive order also bans the use of nondisclosure agreements with government bodies.
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