SPRINGDALE, Pa. — The group hoping to build a large data center on the former Cheswick Generating Station property returned to Springdale on Wednesday to answer questions from the public.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Springdale residents protest proposed data center over possible power cost, property value impact
Allegheny DC Property Co. hosted an information session inside the Springdale Borough building, displaying more than a dozen boards outlining plans for the proposed development.
Outside the meeting, environmental advocates and residents gathered to voice concerns about the project and its potential impact on the surrounding community.
“We do not own this planet we call home. We’re just temporary tenants that need to be better stewards so that generations to come can enjoy the beauty of this planet,” one advocate said.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Springdale residents meet with Allegheny DC to discuss pros, cons of proposed data center
Many of the concerns centered on water quality, noise and electricity usage.
“It makes a lot of noise. Causes a lot of power lines. Doesn’t create a lot of jobs,” one resident said.
Another neighbor raised concerns about groundwater contamination.
“Everyone in our neighborhood lives on well water. Data centers have shown time and time and time again that they leak heavy metals into the groundwater,” the resident said.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Springdale Borough Council approves conditional use permit for data center despite public opposition
Inside the meeting, project representatives addressed those concerns.
A project leader told Channel 11 the proposed facility would use a closed cooling system designed to reduce water consumption.
“A lot of times you’ll see they’ll use evaporative cooling, where they are taking that water and they’re literally evaporating it in order to get some additional cooling into the space. This building is none of that,” he said.
The proposed site would use air-cooled chillers, which rely primarily on electricity rather than large amounts of water.
Project representatives also said changes have been made since the company’s last public meeting in 2025.
Those changes include relocating the proposed entrance to reduce traffic and moving the placement of generators in an effort to lessen noise impacts on nearby neighborhoods.
“Will a data center make some noise? Yeah, it will, but the question is going to be, is it any different than the ambient environment? Is it different than the traffic environment?” a consultant for the company said.
The company estimates the project would create between 80 and 100 permanent jobs.
However, some advocates questioned whether the economic benefits would be significant.
“Studies have shown there’s not many full-time jobs that are going to result from this,” one advocate said.
Springdale Borough Council approved a conditional use application for the project in December.
However, company representatives said several months of land development reviews and discussions remain.
Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW