The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) will host a virtual public meeting on Wednesday, November 18, to discuss a proposed PECO Energy power line that would serve a proposed data center in Limerick Township.
State Sen. Katie Muth announced the meeting in a press release this week, encouraging residents to participate in the discussion and learn more about the project's potential environmental impacts.
The meeting will take place from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. and will include an overview of PECO's permit application from DEP, county conservation districts, and PECO representatives, followed by a question-and-answer session.
Residents can register online or participate by phone by calling 267-332-8737 and entering conference ID 767 543 560#.
Proposed Power Line Would Cross Schuylkill River
The project, identified as the Limerick 67 MW Distribution Project, would involve the installation of approximately one mile of electrical infrastructure connecting PECO's Lock Substation in East Coventry Township to the proposed data center in Limerick Township.
The route would cross the Schuylkill River and pass through Lower Pottsgrove Township.
According to a DEP fact sheet provided to Spring-Ford Press by Muth's office, PECO is seeking a Chapter 105 water obstruction and encroachment permit for the project.
Chapter 105 regulates construction and other activities that affect waterways, wetlands, and floodplains. The permit is required because the proposed power line would cross the Schuylkill River and involve construction activities within surrounding wetlands and floodway areas.
The fact sheet states that no construction impacts within the river itself are proposed, as the power lines would pass overhead. However, the project would involve several other environmental impacts, including:
- 833 square feet of permanent wetland disturbance associated with grading and access to a utility pole on the eastern side of the river.
- 10,112 square feet of temporary floodway disturbance for construction access and related activities.
- 19,852 square feet of permanent indirect floodway impact associated with overhead power lines on the western side of the river.
- 760 square feet of permanent indirect stream impact associated with the power lines crossing above the Schuylkill River.
According to the DEP fact sheet, the project would establish a new utility right-of-way from the Lock Substation to an area near an existing wetland, then follow an existing right-of-way toward the proposed data center.
PECO submitted its Chapter 105 application in February 2026, according to both the fact sheet and an official Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.
The document also states that PECO received a separate stormwater discharge permit in July for construction activities associated with the power line.
Public Comments Accepted Through November 25
According to the fact sheet provided by Muth's office, DEP will accept public comments on PECO's Chapter 105 permit application through Wednesday, November 25.
Residents can submit written comments by emailing RA-EP-WW-SERO-105@pa.gov.
DEP's review is limited to environmental considerations associated with the power line permit application, rather than the broader merits of the proposed data center development.
The fact sheet also indicates that the permit application is not subject to the additional data center permitting requirements established under an executive order signed by Gov. Josh Shapiro on August 18, because PECO submitted its application before the order took effect.
Residents interested in reviewing the full permit application can request access through DEP's Southeast Regional Office by emailing RA-EPSEINFORMFILERE@pa.gov.
Data Center Hearing Continues in Limerick
The proposed power line is associated with MCD7, LLC's planned eight-building data center campus on approximately 191 acres near the Limerick Generating Station and Philadelphia Premium Outlets.
The project remains under review by the Limerick Township Board of Supervisors through an ongoing conditional use hearing.
The most recent hearing, held October 27, concluded testimony from the applicant's traffic engineer and introduced a new expert witness addressing noise and vibration associated with the proposed development.
The conditional use hearing is scheduled to continue Tuesday, November 24, at 6:30 p.m.
The November 18 DEP meeting and the township's conditional use proceedings are separate review processes, with DEP considering the environmental permit for the proposed electrical infrastructure while township supervisors evaluate the data center proposal under local land-use requirements.
