Developer advances four AI data centers in Gregg Township, sparking opposition

PNK Group is pushing Gregg Township to rewrite its zoning so it can build up to four AI data centers at Great Stream Commons, the 667-acre industrial-business park along Route 15 north of Allenwood, and the plan is already drawing sharp opposition over what it could mean for farmland, utilities and daily life in Union County.

The developer has said it would be transparent about the project, but the public record now shows a narrower picture: township officials have discussed the proposal, residents were asked to register in advance for an April 2 open house in Allenwood, and one concrete part of the plan centers on retrofitting the office portion of a 478,000-square-foot building completed in 2024 but never occupied. Gregg Township’s current zoning does not allow data centers, so PNK has applied to amend the ordinance to permit them in commercial and manufacturing districts.

At the open house, dozens of residents and local officials raised concerns about environmental impacts, heavy power demand and water use. Union County commissioners said the county itself is not formally involved because zoning is a municipal matter, but they also acknowledged the scale of the electricity need. Commissioners said they had previously been told PPL Electric Utilities could not or would not provide enough electricity for a data center at the site. An earlier data-center proposal for Great Stream Commons was canceled last year.

The political fight has spread beyond Gregg Township. Commissioner candidate PJ Reilly has made opposition to data-center subsidies a campaign issue, arguing against projects that would consume farmland and increase costs for families and the power grid. At the state level, the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission voted 3-2 on Nov. 6, 2025, to advance a tentative order on large-load customers, including hyperscale data centers, after a proceeding that began in March 2025 and included an April hearing with utilities, consumer advocates, industry stakeholders and the public. Gov. Josh Shapiro has also pushed AI infrastructure as an economic-development priority, highlighting Amazon’s planned $20 billion Pennsylvania investment, 1,250 jobs and $10 million for workforce development. In Gregg Township, the debate is now about whether the promise of jobs and tax base can outweigh the strain on land, power and water that four data centers could bring.