Proposed data center projects appear to be powering the need for more development in Archbald.
PPL Electric Utilities plans to build and upgrade its transmission infrastructure in Lackawanna County near an area where a data center campus is planned, and the public will have a chance to learn about the project next week.
PPL will host an informational open house for the project on Tuesday, March 31, from 6 to 8 p.m., at the Throop Community Civic Center, 500 Sanderson St., Throop.
“The new substation, switchyard and transmission lines will support new customer connections and strengthen reliability across the region. By upgrading equipment and adding new power pathways, we are reducing outage risks and ensuring dependable service for all customers,” PPL says on its website for the project.
The company would not say whether those new customers are data centers.
A spokesperson for PPL says that the utility does not publicly identify new customers but that the electric company does regularly receive service requests.
There will be no agenda or formal presentation for Tuesday's open house but a project team will be available to provide information about the project and answer questions.
PPL anticipates the project to begin in summer 2027 and finish by summer 2030, but Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission approval will be required before it can begin.
‘Demand for electricity is growing’
The Archbald Mountain Substation and the Winton Switchyard will be on either side of Salem Road off the Casey Highway, on the east side of the borough. Both are near the Stavola Archbald Quarry, where Green Mountain 6 LLC has applied with the borough to build a data center campus on 272 acres, featuring seven two-story buildings that would be 3 acres each.
“The Archbald Mountain project, along with other transmission lines, plays a supporting role in the flow of power to the regions where demand for electricity is growing,” according to PPL.
Attorney Jeff Wilhelm, from Reed Smith in Pittsburgh, submitted an application for zoning approval from Archbald for a data center campus on Jan. 23. The application mentions a PPL-owned switchyard.
The new 230 kV transmission lines between the proposed Archbald Mountain Substation and a new customer facility will require a new 250-foot-wide right-of-way corridor.
PPL's plans include:
- A new 500/230 kV substation called the Archbald Mountain Substation.
- New 230 kV switchyards called Winton, Callender Gap and Sturges Switchyards, and eight miles of new 230 kV transmission lines.
- Two parallel double‑circuit 230 kV lines to run about three miles from the Winton Switchyard to a new customer facility near Moosic Lake Road.
- The existing Lackawanna–Paupack 230 kV and LackawannaHopatcong 500 kV lines will be split and extended into a new substation.
- Callender Gap Switchyard will connect to the existing Lackawanna–Paupack 230 kV line, with new 230 kV lines extending across a new customer's property to customer-owned substations.
- The Sturges Switchyard will connect to the Summit–Lackawanna 230 kV line and include a new one‑mile 230 kV line from the Lackawanna Substation.
- From the proposed Sturges switchyard, additional 230 kV lines will extend to customer facilities.
- Roughly three miles of new double‑circuit 230 kV line will link the Sturges and Callender Gap switchyards.
- This project will utilize a combination of new and existing right-of-way.
- Tree removal will be required within newly acquired right-of-way corridors.
- The Callender Gap and Sturges switchyards will be built on property acquired from the new customers.
The new transmission lines will be constructed in Archbald, Jessup, Olyphant and Jefferson Twp., according to PPL.
Definitions from PPL
- Transmission lines carry electricity at high voltages across long distances to efficiently connect power plants with areas where customers need power.
- A switchyard houses electrical infrastructure, including circuit breakers and protective devices, required to safely control the flow of high voltage power across transmission lines.
- A substation houses electrical infrastructure — including circuit breakers, protective devices and transformers — required to safely control and transform the flow and level of high voltage power across transmission lines.
What’s next
PPL Electric plans to begin working with landowners in the area to purchase the necessary easements across impacted properties after Tuesday's open house.
For more details, visit pplarchbaldmountainproject.com or email ArchbaldMountainProject@pplweb.com.
