PPL Electric Utilities acknowledged Tuesday that proposed data centers fueled plans for an Archbald-centric infrastructure project.
Officials were initially mum on what motivated the expansion project, but when a reporter pointed out to PPL Manager of Transmission Siting Doug Grossman that the five customer facilities denoted on project maps corresponded with proposed data center campuses, he responded, “The projects are data centers.”
PPL Director of Communications Dana Burns said data centers played a big part in creating the need for an increase in electrical service.
But the project would also benefit residential and small-business customers by providing more reliable service as the grid expands, she said.
PPL representative Horst Lehmann talks to community members about the Archbald Mountain and Callender Gap and Sturges transmission projects during the open house at Montdale Country Club in Scott Twp. on Tuesday, April 21 2026. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
PPL representative Horst Lehmann speaks about Archbald Mountain and Callender Gap and Sturges transmission projects during the open house regarding at Montdale Country Club in Scott Twp. on Tuesday, April 21 2026. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Community members line up outside to enter Montdale Country Club in Scott Twp. to attend the PPL open house regarding Archbald Mountain and Callender Gap and Sturges transmission projects at Montdale Country Club in Scott Twp. on Tuesday, April 21 2026. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
PPL representative Horst Lehmann speaks about Archbald Mountain and Callender Gap and Sturges transmission projects during the open house regarding at Montdale Country Club in Scott Twp. on Tuesday, April 21 2026. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
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PPL representative Horst Lehmann talks to community members about the Archbald Mountain and Callender Gap and Sturges transmission projects during the open house at Montdale Country Club in Scott Twp. on Tuesday, April 21 2026. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
“Data centers are obviously a big topic and we’re not shying away from that,” she said.
The open house focused on the utility company’s Archbald Mountain and Callender Gap & Sturges transmission projects.
The projects are primarily located in Archbald, with new infrastructure proposed for the mountains on the east and west sides of the borough, corresponding with at least four of the town’s six proposed data center campuses.
Power lines would also extend through parts of Blakely, Jessup, Jefferson Twp. and Olyphant, according to PPL. Work would consist of building 12 miles of new power lines, three switchyards and a substation.
Grossman said nondisclosure agreements prevented him from discussing what types of businesses would operate the data centers.
Jermyn resident Janessa Bednash, a core member of Stop Archbald Data Centers, left the open house frustrated with its setup and angry because she felt residents’ concerns were not heard. The event at Montdale Country Club was a walkthrough of presentations about multiple topics with the opportunity for attendees to ask questions.
Bednash said Stop Archbald Data Centers is not completely opposed to data centers, but believes current proposals would devastate the environment, damage aesthetics and negatively affect the health of people who live in Archbald and surrounding areas.
Expanding electrical infrastructure to make way for data center projects adds another layer of concern, she said.
Newly appointed Archbald Councilwoman Madonna Munley attended the open house as part of her duties in her new position. For the last eight months, Munley has attended borough meetings to express her opposition to data centers. As a council member, she is doing more research.
“I’m going home with facts and figures,” she said. “I got all the information.”
Her concerns revolve around health, aesthetics, economics and the environment.
She fears that data center entities will take advantage of the citizens of Archbald, with unfulfilled promises of good jobs and economic benefits, and then move on without addressing damage done.
Concerns about cost
Sisters Patty Costello of Greenfield Twp. and Tina Taylor of Scott Twp. attended the open house hoping to find out if their electric bills would increase. The sisters have seen their bills go up, although neither uses electricity as their primary source of heat. Costello said she sees her bill hover at about $350, while Taylor’s bill varies from about $200 to $450. Both said they had heard that the PPL expansion project might mean an increase in those amounts.
Burns said new infrastructure needed solely for large customers is paid for by those customers. As those large customers use more energy, they pay a greater share of transmission costs, reducing the cost for everyone, she said.
Should a data center or other large customer renege on their planned project, the cost of infrastructure built by PPL in anticipation of that project would be the responsibility of the data center or other large customer.
The cost of upgrades to electrical transmission systems that generally benefit all customers will be shared, Burns said.
Information and feedback
The goal of the open house was twofold, PPL officials said. They provided information and asked residents for feedback, including their concerns about threatened or endangered wildlife in the path of the proposed power lines.
“The transmission line construction process will minimize impacts to environmentally and culturally sensitive resources to the extent practical including threatened or endangered species, wetlands, streams and regulated flood plains and historical and archeological resources,” the company said during a presentation.
PPL is required to obtain permits regarding the environment, officials said.
PPL also discussed its construction timeline, assuring residents it would work with landowners to reduce inconveniences during construction.
Officials said they would work with property owners to obtain easements for the project over the next several weeks.
“As always, we are committed to negotiating in good faith and providing fair market compensation,” PPL said of the easements.
Grossman said the company would review customer input regarding the project in the upcoming weeks and adjust plans if necessary.