Homer City Energy Campus

Former Homer City coal plant site becomes a giant gas plant, with Amazon proposing 36 data centers around it

Developer

Homer City Redevelopment LLC and its power company, Homer City Generation, L.P. (CEO Corey Hessen), with financing led by Knighthead Capital Management. Kiewit Power Constructors is the engineering, procurement and construction contractor, GE Vernova supplies seven 7HA.02 gas turbines, and EQT agreed in principle to supply natural gas. Amazon Data Services, Inc., an Amazon Web Services company, is the applicant for the data center campus.

Tenant

Amazon Web Services is the proposed data center user. AWS confirmed its interest on Aug. 6, 2026, saying it's evaluating several Pennsylvania sites as part of a $20 billion commitment to the state, and it has since filed a preliminary land development plan with Indiana County for 36 data centers on about 1,100 acres across six sites on the campus.

Current stage

The power plant is under construction and the data center campus is under county review. Demolition and excavation wrapped up in June 2026, vertical construction began in April, the first heat recovery steam generators arrived by superload in September, and the first gas turbine has been set on its foundation, according to the company. The Indiana County Planning Commission accepted Amazon's preliminary plan for review on Oct. 14, 2026, and DEP held a hearing the same night on an amended wastewater permit that it hasn't yet decided.

Decision body

Indiana County Planning Commission for Amazon's land development plan under the county's subdivision and land development ordinance; Pennsylvania DEP for the amended wastewater (NPDES) permit and air permits, after issuing the plant's air quality plan approval in November 2025; and Center and Blacklick township supervisors on local matters such as roads.

Top issues

Heated and treated wastewater discharges into the Blacklick Creek watershed; about 29 million gallons a day of water use; air emissions from seven large gas turbines; construction and superload traffic on rural roads; whether Amazon's 36-building campus meets county rules and what it adds in noise, heat, water and power use; tax breaks and nondisclosure agreements; and whether host townships get a community benefits agreement.

Key opponents

Concerned Residents of Western Pennsylvania (CROW), which held a "No Data Centers, No Amazon, No Billionaires" rally on Sept. 12, 2026 and argues Amazon's application doesn't meet the county's land development rules; Indiana County Common Good and Unite Armstrong, which joined CROW to hang a "No Data Centers. No Amazon." banner in August 2026; and the Clean Air Council, the Sierra Club's Pennsylvania chapter, Three Rivers Waterkeeper, Trout Unlimited's Ken Sink Chapter and the Blacklick Creek Watershed Association, which urged DEP to deny or tighten the wastewater permit. All 12 speakers at DEP's Oct. 14, 2026 hearing opposed the permit.

Key supporters

The Indiana County Chamber of Commerce, whose president Mark Hilliard said the project "could shape Indiana County for decades" and whose October 2026 site tour included State Sen. Joe Pittman and State Rep. Jim Struzzi; U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick, who met with company leaders in May 2026; building trades unions, including Boilermakers Local 154, which hopes to put 500 boilermakers on the job; and Indiana Area School District director Walter Schroth, who backed Amazon's plan at the Oct. 14 county planning meeting.

• 2025-03-22Homer City Generating Station demolition complete
• 2025-04-02Homer City Energy Campus announced ($10B+; gas and data center)
• 2025-11-20DEP issued an air quality plan approval for the gas plant, which the company says covers up to 4.4 gigawatts from seven GE Vernova turbines. Homer City Redevelopment
• 2026-03-26The company said more than 1,000 workers were active on the construction site. Homer City Redevelopment
• 2026-04-01Vertical construction began with the first steel for a gas-insulated switchgear building. Homer City Redevelopment
• 2026-06-02The company announced demolition and mass excavation were finished ahead of schedule. Homer City Redevelopment
• 2026-07-11DEP published a draft amendment to the plant's wastewater discharge permit changing discharges from Outfall 027 to the Blacklick Creek watershed. Indiana Gazette
• 2026-08-06AWS confirms interest in a Homer City data center as part of a stated $20B Pennsylvania commitment Indiana Gazette
• 2026-08-23Opponents hung a "No Data Centers. No Amazon. People over Profit." sign on the Hoodlebug Trail bridge near Blairsville. Indiana Gazette
• 2026-09-01Center Township approved a cooperation agreement with Burrell and Black Lick townships to seek a community benefits agreement covering road, utility and emergency service costs. Indiana Gazette
• 2026-09-09The county planning commission tabled Amazon Web Services' land development application for a full review. Indiana Gazette
• 2026-09-12CROW held a "No Data Centers, No Amazon, No Billionaires" rally in Indiana. Indiana Gazette
• 2026-09-17The first superload, a 381-ton heat recovery steam generator module, arrived at the campus on Power Plant Road. Indiana Gazette
• 2026-10-14Hearing on a wastewater permit amendment allowing up to 6.8 million gallons a day of heated water into Blacklick Creek; every speaker opposed it TribLive
• 2026-10-14The planning commission accepted Amazon's preliminary plan for 36 data centers on about 1,100 acres for a 90-day review ending Jan. 12, 2027. Indiana Gazette
• 2026-10-16DEP said it will decide on the wastewater permit change for Blacklick Creek before the plant's current permit expires at the end of 2026. Marcellus Drilling News
• 2026-10-20The company said the first gas turbine had been set on its foundation and more than 2,000 workers were on site. Homer City Redevelopment

• 2025-12-17
  Environmental Hearing Board appeal Pennsylvania Environmental Hearing Board · n/a

  Appeal of DEP's November 18, 2025 air quality plan approval No. 32-00457A for the Homer City gas plant, arguing it violates the federal Clean Air Act, the state Air Pollution Control Act and the Environmental Rights Amendment, departs from DEP's environmental justice policy and fails to weigh climate effects.

  Clean Air Council, PennFuture and Sierra Club v. Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection; Homer City Generation, L.P. is the permittee · Pending. Marcellus Drilling News reported on October 22, 2026 that opponents are still contesting the plant's air permit.
• Environmental Hearing Board appeal Pennsylvania Environmental Hearing Board · n/a

  A constitutional challenge to DEP's plan approval for the Homer City gas plant based on the greenhouse gas emissions it authorizes. A second amended notice of appeal was filed January 30, 2026, and Judge Bernard A. Labuskes Jr. wrote that the claims are distinct from the Clean Air Council appeal.

  Youth appellants in an Our Children's Trust case v. Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection; Homer City Generation, L.P. is the permittee · Pending. On March 23, 2026 the board denied Homer City Generation's motion to consolidate it with the Clean Air Council appeal.

• 2026-10-22 Marcellus Drilling NewsHomer City Update: First Turbine Set, Amazon Plan Now Under ReviewReports that Kiewit has marked a year on the project, the workforce has passed 2,000, the first of seven turbines is on its foundation, Amazon's plan is under county review and opponents are still contesting the air permit.
• 2026-10-21 Indiana GazetteThermal discharge, aquatic wildlife among concerns at DEP NPDES hearingWastewater permit hearing
• 2026-10-16 Marcellus Drilling NewsHomer City Gas Plant Wastewater Permit Draws Fire at DEP HearingReports that about a dozen speakers, all opposed, testified at DEP's hearing on discharging up to 6.8 million gallons a day of cooling water into Blacklick Creek, and that DEP says it will decide before the current permit expires at the end of 2026.
• 2026-10-14 TribLiveIndiana-area residents say power plant discharges will damage stream: hot, polluted water will kill aquatic lifeBlacklick Creek discharge hearing
• 2026-10-14 Indiana GazetteCounty planners accept for review Amazon's plan for data centersCounty review begins
• 2026-10-12 Indiana GazetteCommissioners, county planners and DEP have meetings Wednesday on Homer CityMeeting preview
• 2026-10-10 TechRadarAWS plans 36-building data center campus in Pennsylvania as a massive gas plant powers its decade-long expansion projectAWS named as end user; 36 buildings on 1,100 acres
• 2026-10-09 Indiana GazetteChamber/regional leaders Get Firsthand Look at Homer City Redevelopment and AWS PlansBusiness support
• 2026-10-05 Marcellus Drilling NewsAmazon Files Plans for 36 Data Centers at Homer City Gas PlantReports that Amazon Data Services filed a preliminary master land development plan with Indiana County for 36 data centers on about 1,100 acres of the campus.
• 2026-09-30 Data Center FrontierFrom Coal to Compute: How Pennsylvania Is Rebuilding Power for AI Data CentersCompares Homer City with Shippingport and reports that Homer City had received 14 of 18 major DEP permits and that the Amazon data center campus wasn't yet fully approved.
• 2026-09-17 Indiana GazetteSuperload arrives at Homer City Energy CampusEquipment deliveries
• 2026-09-13 Indiana GazetteIndiana County residents say 'No Data Centers, No Amazon, No Billionaires' at weekend rallyRally
• 2026-09-09 Indiana GazetteHomer City Energy Campus again at center of discussionCounty tables Amazon application
• 2026-09-07 Indiana GazetteThree-page Amazon 'narrative' is proposed for county planning commissionAmazon Data Services' narrative to the county planning commission describes 39 data centers on about 2,200 acres in Center and Blacklick townships, with construction to start in December 2026.
• 2026-09-04 Washington ExaminerEXCLUSIVE: How 1,800 local tradespeople are powering Pennsylvania's ultimate energy and data innovation campusA Salena Zito opinion column reports more than 1,800 direct-hire tradespeople on site, mostly from nine local unions, with the company expecting about 2,000 by New Year's Day.
• 2026-09-02 Indiana GazetteCenter, Burrell, Black Lick townships seek community benefits agreement over Homer City power plantTownships, roads, traffic
• 2026-08-23 Indiana GazetteActivist groups join forces to hang message to data center developers, AmazonOpposition
• 2026-08-06 Indiana GazetteAmazon confirms interest in Homer City Energy CampusAWS confirms interest as part of a stated $20B Pennsylvania commitment
• 2026-08-06 Indiana GazetteAmazon, HCR are conducting 'commercial discussions' on data centerAmazon interest
• 2026-06-05 Herald-StandardData center town hall draws large crowd in FayetteUnion jobs hopes