Developer details expansive Starpointe data center proposal
Project would include natural gas power plant on site
A developer from the Dallas, Texas-based Prime Data Centers LLC testified Monday evening during a packed hearing regarding the proposed Starpointe Business Park data center project.
The Hanover Township Board of Supervisors is considering a conditional use permit for the expansive data center campus and attached natural gas power plant, with four more hearings on the permit scheduled through the end of September.
More than 200 residents filled the Hanover Township Volunteer Fire Department hall in Burgettstown Monday to learn more about the project, after two earlier hearings on the conditional use permit ended without completing preliminary procedures.
After reaching building capacity, a crowd of latecomers followed the hearing via a speaker positioned in the parking lot.
According to Prime Senior Vice President of Development Kate Nolan Bryden, who is the project lead, the campus will feature approximately 1.8 million square feet of data center space across seven buildings located on pre-graded pad sites within the Starpointe Business Park.
Prime is under contract to purchase about 155 acres of land from Starpointe landowner ALTIAN Development LLC for the data center campus, she said.
The proposed complex will also include a 350-megawatt natural gas power plant with a lateral connection to the Rover Pipeline that runs past the eastern edge of the business park.
Bryden emphasized that the power plant will be independent from the local power grid, and will not require commercially purchased electricity.
According to Bryden, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection is currently reviewing an application for an air quality permit for the power plant component.
She said Prime hopes to begin work on the project sometime in early 2027, with construction on each building expected to take between 14 to 16 months.
The construction for each of the seven buildings will create at least 300 temporary jobs, then 40 to 60 permanent positions once the complex is fully operational, Bryden said.
The project represents a “very significant capital investment” for the company in the range of several hundred million dollars, she said.
The facility will use advanced closed-loop cooling systems that continuously recycle water through the system, minimizing on-site water consumption and maximizing energy efficiency. Additionally, all of Prime’s U.S. data centers pursue ENERGY STAR certification, according to a release from the company.
The company owns and operates nine data center projects across the U.S. and Europe.
Bryden emphasized that Prime intends to be a “long-term member of the community,” and will eventually hold an open house with internal experts on various aspects of the project to answer questions from the community.
More than a dozen residents brought signs calling for “no data centers in Hanover Township” to the hearing, with some attendees yelling in opposition to the project at several moments during the proceedings.
In a statement, Bryden said ”local elected officials are best positioned to set the parameters for large-scale development, and that is exactly the process underway in Hanover Township.
“We remain committed to seeing the process through to the end, because we trust that this project should be confirmed for conditional use at Starpointe. We truly believe this is the best use of the land, and our goal is to bring new economic life to this industrial park. We look forward to the next step in this process and to continuing our engagement with township officials and community members.”
The board scheduled further hearings on the matter on Sept. 21, 24, 29 and 30, all at 6 p.m. at the Hanover Township VFD Hall at 9 Starck Drive.