Near the community of Isabella in Luzerne Township, Fayette County, NextEra Energy Resources is proposing to construct the 3.75 GW East Riverside Energy Center, which would be one of the largest gas-fired power plants in the country, if constructed. Though engineering is ongoing, the 700-acre site of the power plant is anticipated to include six 150-foot smokestack towers, in addition to several structures for gas turbines. The developers anticipate the power plant will use about 30 million gallons of water a day for cooling and electricity generation, sourced from the Monongahela River.
The project is being proposed as a result of a multi-billion-dollar trade deal between the U.S. and Japan, which aims to support rapidly growing electricity demand, largely driven by data center development. The U.S. and Japanese governments would serve as joint owners of the East Riverside Energy Center.
The East Riverside Energy Center would be constructed in a quaint, agricultural community in Luzerne Township, which is rooted in Fayette County’s coal mining history. But a massive power plant would completely change the landscape of this rural area. For years, Mountain Watershed Association has supported several farmers in Luzerne Township who have worked to protect their property from the impacts of shale gas development. Now they are facing this massive, industrial build-out.
A public meeting is planned for Tuesday, September 15, with time and location to be determined as of now. As permit and development planning information becomes available, we will learn much more about the proposal and ensure the public has an opportunity to understand and get involved.
MWA will be following this development closely, and we urge Fayette County residents to tell the Fayette County Commissioners they do not want new power plants constructed to fuel data centers in our region. You can also join MWA at our People’s Town Hall on Data Centers in Fayette County next Thursday, September 10 at 6:00 pm at the Connellsville Community Center (201 E Fairview Ave).
Resources
www.pa.gov/agencies/dep/data-and-tools/reports/water-reports, PWS Water Use Report by Water Supplier Facility Report, 2025