President Donald Trump is expected to attend the inaugural Pennsylvania Energy and Innovation Summit on Tuesday, hosted by U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick (R-Pa.)
“The summit will bring together the world’s top leaders in energy and AI, alongside the biggest global investors, labor and trades leaders, and government officials, to showcase Pennsylvania’s incredible potential to power the AI revolution,” according to a statement from McCormick’s office.
McCormick’s fellow Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), and Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) are also expected to attend, along with some 60 CEOs and labor leaders, who will gather at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) in Pittsburgh. They will discuss the future of artificial intelligence and energy. CMU was recently ranked by U.S. News & World Report as the best school for AI in the country, above Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Stanford University.
“Harnessing Pennsylvania’s unique strengths to attract new data center investment and energy infrastructure development will jumpstart Pennsylvania’s economy, create great, new jobs, and bolster our national security,” McCormick said.
McCormick’s interest in energy and technology isn’t a surprise. The former CEO of Bridgewater Associates, McCormick began his business career in the tech sector.
In his bid to unseat incumbent Sen. Bob Casey, Jr. (D-Pa.), McCormick highlighted Pennsylvania’s potential as a technological and energy destination. He called for the U.S. to use Pennsylvania’s rich natural gas reserves to become an energy superpower by reducing red tape and prioritizing new energy infrastructure.
The Keystone State is the nation’s second-largest producer of natural gas and nuclear energy, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). It’s also the second-largest net supplier of total energy to other states, behind only Texas.
Tech companies see Pennsylvania’s energy capacity as a way to power the future.
Microsoft announced a $16 billion deal last year with Constellation Energy to restart Unit 1 at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant. The facility will be used to power AI data centers.
Not to be outdone, Amazon said in June it would spend $20 billion to build two massive data center complexes, one near the Susquehanna Steam Electric Station nuclear power plant in Luzerne County. One data center will have a “behind-the-meter” direct connection to the power plant.
More investment is on the way. Axios reported that Trump and McCormick will announce $70 billion in energy and AI investments at Tuesday’s summit.
Technology and energy advocates see the gathering as an important way to spotlight Pennsylvania’s role in boosting America’s technological and energy future.
“The AI revolution is happening with or without, and it requires a significant amount of energy,” Marcellus Shale Coalition President Jim Welby told DVJournal. He said it’s about time politicians stopped talking about opportunity and did something about it.
“We stand atop one of the largest natural gas deposits in the world and have the ability to produce the energy to power these centers right here in Pennsylvania,” he said.
Jeff Nobers, the executive director of Pittsburgh Works Together, a partnership between business and labor, hoped the summit would benefit both workers and businesses.
“These strategic advantages can lead to a brighter economic future for the entire Pittsburgh region, bringing jobs and increased prosperity to our community,” he told DVJournal.
Free market advocates called the summit an opportunity to keep the country from facing even higher energy bills. A poll from the Commonwealth Foundation found 78 percent of Pennsylvanians have seen increased energy costs over the past two years. Another 76 percent expressed concern that bills would become too expensive.
“This level of leadership is exactly what Pennsylvania needs to maintain its competitive edge in the energy sector,” Elizabeth Stelle, the foundation’s Vice President of Policy, told DVJournal.
The Pennsylvania legislature is also taking steps to secure the state’s future as a hub for data center and AI development.
Republican Sens. Tracy Pennycuick (Montgomery) and Greg Rothman (Cumberland) have introduced Senate Bill 939, which would fast-track the permitting process for energy and tech infrastructure. The bill also proposes creating a statewide regulatory sandbox for artificial intelligence, data centers, and emerging technologies.
“We have the energy resources, and the time to unleash those resources is now,” said Rothman. “The untapped economic opportunity for Pennsylvanians is truly incredible.”
