Lawmakers Push Data Center Power Bill
Four Chester County Democrats back House Bill 2888, which would require large Pennsylvania data centers to secure additional electricity and disclose resource use.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Data Centers
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Four Chester County Democratic lawmakers have co-sponsored House Bill 2888, introduced November 4, 2026, which would require hyperscale data centers in Pennsylvania to plan for additional electricity capacity. The bill was referred to the House Energy Committee and has not yet received a committee or floor vote.
Why it matters
The legislation addresses concerns that major new power demands from data centers could affect the broader electric system. Operators would have to certify that changes to their energy plans do not impose added costs on other electricity customers.
House Bill 2888 defines hyperscale data centers as facilities requiring at least 20 megawatts where the serving utility has a peak load of 2,500 megawatts or more. Covered projects would need a $250 million minimum investment, 200 prevailing-wage construction jobs, and 50 permanent positions paying at least 125% of Pennsylvania's average statewide wage; the bill has not yet been voted on.
The players
Chris Pielli
Chester County Democratic state representative and co-sponsor of House Bill 2888, which seeks to regulate large data center electricity demand.
Kristine Howard
Chester County Democratic state representative and co-sponsor of House Bill 2888 focused on data center power and community impacts.
Melissa Shusterman
Chester County Democratic state representative and co-sponsor of House Bill 2888 among the bill's local backers.
Danielle Friel Otten
Chester County Democratic state representative and co-sponsor of House Bill 2888 from the county's delegation.
The details
House Bill 2888 would require hyperscale data centers to disclose annual electricity and water consumption and submit community-benefit plans. Operators would develop plans for obtaining sufficient additional electricity capacity, while municipalities would retain authority over zoning and land use. Civil penalties of $25,000 per day for continuing noncompliance and up to $50,000 per day for false or misleading submissions are included, with a 60-day window to correct violations.
Timeline
November 4, 2026: House Bill 2888 introduced and referred to the House Energy Committee.
November 30, 2026: Pennsylvania's 2025-26 legislative session is scheduled to end.
Big Picture
House Bill 2888 extends Pennsylvania's ongoing legislative response to data-center growth by proposing binding electricity-planning and disclosure requirements for hyperscale facilities. It follows local disputes in East Whiteland and East Brandywine over data-center projects in Chester County.
Residents served by utilities that supply large data centers could see electricity costs shaped by how new power demand is planned and paid for. The bill's cost-certification requirement is intended to keep added expenses for other customers from rising.
The takeaway
Electricity planning for data centers is becoming a state-level policy question, and the outcome of House Bill 2888 could shape how new large-load customers are required to pay for the grid capacity they need.
What happens next
The Pennsylvania 2025-26 legislative session ends November 30, 2026, which is the deadline for the bill to advance; if it does not pass, it would need to be reintroduced in the next session.
Further reading
For more on how these facilities are reshaping regional grids, see Data Centers coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by MyChesCo.
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Should large data centers be required to cover their own electricity and water costs?
