Pennhurst Data Center Applicant Will Not Appear at Thursday's Planning Commission Meeting

East Vincent Township officials confirmed this week that Penn Hurst Holdings, LLC, the applicant behind a proposed data center project at the Pennhurst Asylum property, will not appear at the special Planning Commission meeting scheduled for Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at the township building.

The meeting, which will be available both in person and via Zoom, is expected to focus on discussion of the applicant’s revised plans.

The absence drew attention from residents who have been closely following the proposal. The applicant also did not appear at a Planning Commission meeting in February, where an earlier version of the plan was reviewed and ultimately recommended for denial.

During public comment at the Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday night, resident Joanna Tenney questioned why the revised submission — which she described as significantly different from the prior version — is not being treated as a new application requiring the process to start over.

Township Solicitor Joe Clement explained that under the township’s conditional use process, applicants are permitted to submit revised plans as part of an existing application rather than restarting entirely.

“Out of an abundance of caution, what we decided to do was treat that new plan as a continuation of the application, since they are allowed to submit a new plan or revised plan,” the solicitor said.

Clement added that the township ensured proper public notice procedures were followed and obtained the applicant’s agreement to proceed toward a conditional use hearing scheduled for Monday, April 20, at 6:30 p.m. at East Vincent Elementary School, 340 Ridge Road in Spring City.

Regional Energy Concerns Raised

Separately, State Senator Katie Muth, an East Vincent Township resident, raised broader concerns about the energy infrastructure demands associated with data centers and how related costs are distributed. She pointed to PECO’s recent rate increase request as part of the financial impact facing residents.

Muth also referenced a proposed high-voltage transmission line project in the region and a $2 million U.S. Department of Energy–funded study examining potential sites for transmission upgrades and energy generation across Pennsylvania. She noted it is often unclear how or when local municipalities are informed about these efforts, raising concerns about transparency as planning moves forward.

Township Considers Response

In response to Muth's comments, Township Manager Bob Zienkowski asked the solicitor if the Board of Supervisors could consider adopting a resolution urging state officials to improve notification requirements for municipalities when major utility infrastructure projects are proposed.

Clement confirmed that the township could pursue such a resolution and noted that officials also have opportunities to participate in public comment processes related to utility rate requests.

Supervisor Dana Ciaffone also called on township staff to draft a letter formally opposing PECO’s recent rate increase request and to provide residents with information on how to submit their own comments to the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission.