On April 8, Liberty Energy Inc., Imperial Land Corporation and Range Resources – Appalachia, LLC announced a strategic alliance to support the development of a state-of-the-art power generation facility within the Fort Cherry Development District in Robinson Township, Washington County.

The strategic collaboration between Liberty, ILC, and Range will focus on a dedicated power generation facility tailored to meet the energy demands of data centers, industrial facilities, and other high-energy-use businesses in Pennsylvania.

This initiative, which is being advanced by companies with proven experience in the region, aligns with Pennsylvania’s commitment to fostering innovation and investment in the energy sector. 

The proposed power facility is expected to serve as a catalyst for attracting data centers and industrial operations seeking long-term, reliable, efficient energy solutions, utilizing modular, scalable, lower emissions power generation systems and Marcellus natural gas, which has an advantaged emissions profile versus other basins in the U.S. 

“Liberty is revolutionizing how industries meet their energy needs with our ability to rapidly deploy reliable, scalable distributed power solutions.  Our approach combines low-emissions power generation and technology with industry-leading service and support, all strategically located at a site with abundant natural gas resources,” said Ron Gusek, President and CEO of Liberty Energy.  “As the demand for power intensifies, our innovative approach empowers clients to confidently expand their operations without compromising on efficiency or reliability.  We’re proud to be setting a new standard in energy deployment through this collaboration.”

“This collaboration represents an exciting opportunity to foster industrial growth in the region while leveraging Pennsylvania’s vast natural resources for innovative, reliable, energy solutions,” said Brian Temple, President at Imperial Land Corporation. “By working with Liberty and Range we are positioning the Fort Cherry Development District as a prime location for future industrial demand growth. This initiative is a testament to the region’s potential as an energy, technology and data center hub.”

Alan Engberg, Range’s VP Marketing & Midstream commented: “Range is excited to power this growing wave of technology and manufacturing opportunities. With our vast Marcellus inventory, Range is well-positioned to meet the environmental and reliability standards and decades-long supply requirements of a data center client. This initiative with Imperial Land and Liberty provides an attractive site for a scalable data center or large industrial tenant by virtue of being ideally situated adjacent to the heart of Range’s existing natural gas production, in close proximity to the Ohio River, the City of Pittsburgh and a newly renovated international airport.”

“The collaboration among Liberty, ILC, and Range exemplifies a unified effort to address Pennsylvania’s evolving energy needs by leveraging our region’s readily available natural gas while promoting stable, long-term industrial development and economic growth,” said Stefani Pashman, CEO of the Allegheny Conference on Community Development. “This strategic development will help to attract data centers and industrial operations to our region, bringing with it economic impacts for years to come.”

Click Here for the announcement.

NewsClip:

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Liberty Energy, Range Resources Partner On Natural Gas Power Plant For Data Center In Washington County

Resource Links:

-- PUC Launches Review Of Electric Grid Impacts From Data Center Growth, Sets April 24 Hearing  [PaEN]

-- Utility Dive: US DOE Offers 2 National Energy Technology Laboratory Sites In Pittsburgh For Colocating Data Centers, Related Power Plants [PaEN]

PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:

-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - April 5 to 11 - Late Night Conventional Wastewater Road Dumping Failure To Comply With Cleanup Order; Pipeline Leak Investigation Expands To 2 Other Counties; More Abandoned Wells  [PaEN]

-- Late Night Road Dumping: Conventional Oil & Gas Wastewater Continues To Be Dumped On Dirt, Gravel, Paved Roads; DEP Expected To Provide Update At April 24 Meeting  [PaEN]

-- DEP: Energy Transfer/Sunoco Pipeline Leak In Bucks County Expands To Delaware, Montgomery Counties; DEP, Dept. Of Health Briefing On State Response To Leak Now Available On Demand [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - April 12 [PaEN]

-- DEP Invites Comments On Chapter 105 Permit For EQT ARO LLC 3 Mile Natural Gas Gathering Pipeline In Cascade Twp., Lycoming County  [PaEN]

-- DEP Posted 73 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In April 12 PA Bulletin  [PaEN] 

Related Articles This Week:

-- Environmental Quality Board Tables Vote On Accepting Petition For Study To Increase Setbacks From Shale Gas Wells Until Last Minute Comments Can Be Reviewed  [PaEN]

-- Conventional/Shale Oil & Gas Industry Association Acknowledges 1.4 Million People ‘Are Impacted By General Oil & Gas Operations’ In Pennsylvania  [PaEN] 

-- House Environmental Committee Reports Out Bill To Require DEP To Consider Cumulative Impacts Of Certain New Sources Of Pollution On Already Impacted Communities  [PaEN]

-- Liberty Energy, Range Resources Announce Support For Developing A Natural Gas Data Center Power Plant In Robinson Twp., Washington County  [PaEN]

-- PUC: NTSB Releases Report, Recommendations From Investigation Of West Reading Chocolate Plant Natural Gas Explosion [PaEN] 

-- Center For Coalfield Justice, MIT Researchers Host April 17 Public Meeting In Washington County On An Upcoming Seismic Study In Southwestern PA  [PaEN]

-- Physicians For Social Responsibility PA Hosts May 8 In-Person Oil & Gas Industry Waste Worker Safety Workshop, Webinar In Scranton  [PaEN]

-- President Signs Executive Orders Directing US Attorney General To Take Action Against States Impeding Domestic Energy Production; Rescinds Policies Transition Away From Coal; Lifts Toxics Standards For Coal Power Plants  [PaEN]

-- President Issues Executive Orders Requiring 1 Year Sunset Dates On Existing Regulations Affecting Energy; Identifying Regulations Limiting Competition  [PaEN]

-- PJM Interconnection Supports Presidential Exemptions From Clean Air Act Standards Requested By 13,900 MW Of Electric Generation In PJM Region, Including Keystone And Conemaugh Power Plants In PA  [PaEN]

-- PJM, Google & Tapestry Join Forces To Apply A.I. To Enhance Regional Planning, Generation Interconnection  [PaEN]

NewsClips:

-- The Center Square: Environmental Justice Bill Moves Forward From PA House Committee

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Environmental Quality Board Tables Petition To Increase Natural Gas Well Setbacks In Pennsylvania

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Liberty Energy, Range Resources Partner On Natural Gas Power Plant For Data Center In Washington County

-- The Derrick: Tempers In Frenchcreek Township Subside Over Nova Energy LLC Cryptocurrency Mining Operation In Venango County  [PDF of article]

-- Reading Eagle: NTSB Final Report On Fatal West Reading Chocolate Factory Natural Gas Explosion Issued

-- Inquirer: NTSB Issues Final Report On Natural Gas Explosion At West Reading Chocolate Factory that Killed 7 Workers

-- Scranton Times: Residents, Officials Rail Against UGI 10.8% Natural Gas Rate Hike At Hearing

-- Wilkes-Barre Times: UGI Natural Gas Customers, Elected Officials Testify At Rate-Hike Hearing

-- TribLive: Gasoline Prices Jump 17 Cents In PA, But Don’t Expect Them To Stay There, Experts Say

-- Wilkes-Barre Times Guest Essay: Make Polluters Pay For Climate Impacts - By Wenonah Hauter, Food & Water Watch

-- The Center Square: $748 Million Chevron Verdict In Louisiana Could Mark Turning Point In Litigation Against Oil/Gas Industry For Climate Impacts [Bucks County Lawsuit Noted]

-- WPXI: Keystone Oil Pipeline Ruptures Again, Portion Shut Down

-- Reuters: The Keystone Oil Pipeline’s History Of Spills

-- Bloomberg: President’s Tariffs Herald Higher Costs For A.I. Boom; New Measure Hit Power Industry Already Struggling To Procure Vital Equipment

-- Bloomberg: President’s New ‘Order’ Seeks To Tap Coal Power In Quest To Dominate A.I.

-- E&ENews/Politico: President To Sign Executive ‘Orders’ Aimed At Reviving Coal To Keep Plants Running

-- Utility Dive: US Electricity Demand Will Grow By 50% (2% a Year) By 2050, Electrical Manufacturer Study Finds

[Posted: April 8, 2025]

4/14/2025