Developers plan to build six of the sprawling campuses in Archbald, a northeastern Pennsylvania town of 7,000 people near the Pocono Mountains, to power the demand for artificial intelligence, eventually covering about 14 percent of the town’s land. https://t.co/j3O1sBZCSu
A map-style infographic (shaded-overlay graphic) showing Archbald Borough’s data-center overlay and the specific parcels highlighted for proposed data-center campuses — it visually locates and outlines the footprint of proposed projects, illustrating how multiple large campuses would be clustered within the borough and the extent of land they would occupy relative to the town.
Source: DeSmog
Research Brief
What our analysis found
Developers are planning to build six data center campuses in Archbald, a northeastern Pennsylvania borough of roughly 7,000 people in Lackawanna County near the Pocono Mountains. The projects, driven by surging demand for artificial intelligence computing, would comprise 51 data warehouse buildings — each approximately the size of a Walmart Supercenter — with a combined floor space of around 13.4 million square feet. When completed, the campuses would cover approximately 14 percent of the town's total land area, which spans about 17 square miles.
The scale of the proposed infrastructure is staggering. The Wildcat Ridge campus alone would require 1.6 gigawatts of electricity, nearly matching the 1.7-gigawatt capacity of Pennsylvania's largest natural gas-fired power plant. Water consumption estimates are equally striking: one project, Wildcat Ridge, expects to use 3.3 million gallons of water per day, comparable to the daily usage of over 53,000 Pennsylvanians. Preliminary plans also call for as many as 574 diesel backup generators at a single campus, with over a thousand generators planned across all sites combined.
The developments have sparked intense community opposition. A Facebook group called "Stop Archbald Data Centers" has attracted nearly 10,000 members, and residents have raised alarms about deforestation, air pollution, water strain, noise, and the displacement of a trailer park community. Notably, four of the five active developers have no prior record of completing or operating data centers, raising questions about the viability of the proposals. On March 27, 2026, the Archbald Borough Council unanimously denied a conditional-use permit for one of the projects, marking a significant setback for the plans.
Fact Check
Evidence from both sides
Supporting Evidence
The Washington Post confirms the core claim
A report published on April 26, 2026, directly states that developers plan six sprawling campuses in Archbald, a town of 7,000 near the Pocono Mountains, to power AI demand, eventually covering about 14 percent of the town's land. The article also details the 51 data warehouses, each the size of a Walmart Supercenter.
Spotlight PA and Grist corroborate the figures
A March 19, 2026 investigation states that five developers are planning six data center campuses in Archbald covering a full 14% of the town, noting Archbald has the most planned data center campuses of any municipality in Pennsylvania.
DeSmog independently verifies the scope
Reporting from March 11, 2026, confirms that Archbald, a town of about 7,500 people, faces plans for five data center complexes across six sites totaling 51 buildings with 13.4 million square feet of combined floor space.
Yale E360 confirms the national significance
A March 17, 2026 report states the borough of fewer than 8,000 people may host five massive data centers that would rank among the largest in the world, sprawling across 51 buildings with a combined 13 million square feet.
Population figures are consistent across sources
Census data and recent estimates place Archbald's population between 7,011 and 7,610, aligning with the tweet's characterization of a town of 7,000 people.
Contradicting Evidence
One major project has already been denied
On March 27, 2026, the Archbald Borough Council voted unanimously 5-0 to deny a conditional-use permit for an 18-building campus proposed by Provident Data Centers, meaning the full scope of six campuses may not materialize as planned.
Most developers lack data center experience
A DeSmog review found that four out of five active developers in Archbald have no prior record of completing or operating data centers, casting doubt on whether all six campuses will actually be built and become operational.
Permitting for other projects faces delays
Project Gravity's fast-track permitting application is currently on hold pending additional documentation, indicating that even projects not yet denied are encountering significant procedural obstacles.
Developer claims about impact are disputed
While developers project millions in annual tax revenue and up to 1,280 permanent jobs for one campus, community members and analysts note that data centers are typically not large employers and that developer estimates of water usage as low as 50,000 gallons per day are contradicted by figures of 3.3 million gallons per day cited by opponents and other project documents.
Strong organized community opposition could alter outcomes
The Stop Archbald Data Centers Facebook group has amassed nearly 10,000 members — more than the town's entire population — suggesting sustained political pressure that could lead to further permit denials or project withdrawals.
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