Q3 Appalachian Gas Outlook: LNG, data centers, and new pipelines risk locking in exponential production growth
Gas-powered data centers and LNG exports are fueling a new wave of investment in pipelines to ship fracked gas out of Appalachia.
The Risk of Overreaction to Grid Reliability Concerns in Pennsylvania
Energy demand growth in Pennsylvania may be seriously overstated. Overbuilding the grid could lock in billions of dollars in unnecessary capacity costs.
Ohio Power Siting Board Denies Company Request to Block Expert Testimony Describing Potential Impacts of 800MW Gas Plant
ADVISORY September 9th, 2026 Ohio Power Siting Board Denies Company Request to Block Expert Testimony Describing Potential Impacts of 800MW Gas Plant PowerConneX Sought to Secure Approval with Limited Information ASHVILLE, Oh. — Developer PowerConneX asked the Ohio Power Siting Board (OPSB) to block scheduled testimony from an Ohio River Valley Institute researcher, an […]
Most Pennsylvanians Want Data Center Development Paused, Strongly Regulated, or Discouraged Altogether
Most Pennsylvanians believe data center development would raise energy costs and harm the environment, though some anticipate job growth.
Q2 Appalachia Gas Outlook
Gas companies, emboldened by regulatory rollbacks, are driving forward new investments in power plants, LNG export terminals, and the pipelines that connect them.
Public opposition to data centers is surging. Where do decision-makers stand?
The number of data center projects proposed in Ohio River Valley states is growing quickly. But opposition appears to be growing even faster.
Shale Gas in Pennsylvania: 2026
As we enter another election season, office-seekers will put forward their ideas about how Pennsylvania can spark an economy that has long been sluggish. Special concern is likely to be expressed about Pennsylvania’s smaller communities and rural counties, which in many cases have been struggling with job and population losses for a decade or longer. […]
Gridlocked
A West Virginia utility’s Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) demonstrates the need for a more flexible electric grid.
West Virginia and the Base Load Model of Grid Management Versus the Flexible Grid
As West Virginia and other states grapple with data center-driven electricity demand growth and rate hikes, transitioning to a “flexible grid” model could lower rates, boost reliability, and slash carbon emissions. West Virginia’s traditional “base load” model of electricity generation depends heavily on coal, and has accelerated the state’s electricity affordability crisis amidst soaring demand […]
Appalachianization Update: How The Data Center Boom is Making America’s Economy Look Like Appalachia’s
Last December, I wrote a blog post titled, “The Appalachianization of America’s Economy”, in which I observed that the AI and data center boom, which has recently been a principal driver of overall GDP growth, seems to be giving rise to a recurrence of a phenomenon previously seen in Appalachia’s natural gas regions – a […]