By Shixiang (Woody) Zhu
Publication Date: 2026-02-25 13:35:00
The rapid growth of data centers that support artificial intelligence is changing the way electricity systems operate in the United States.
Pennsylvania is becoming a key location in this transition, particularly in the Pittsburgh area. Access to existing infrastructure – such as converted industrial sites -, the availability of qualified workers and a dense population make the region attractive for developers.
Pittsburgh’s large, dense population creates strong demand for fast, local computing power. The city’s existing industrial, energy and academic resources make it easier and more cost-effective to quickly build this infrastructure.
As an assistant professor at Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy, I have spent much of my career researching machine learning, data science, and optimization. The rise of data centers in the Pittsburgh region raises a key question for me: Can the power grid meet the needs of these…?
