Keystone AI + Quantum Factory (University Consortium)
CMU / Penn State / Pitt / Drexel / Lehigh / Temple / Penn / PSC, Multiple (statewide) County
A data center project in CMU and Penn State and Pitt and Drexel and Lehigh and Temple and Penn and PSC.
The project by the numbers
Approved and proceeding in CMU and Penn State and Pitt and Drexel and Lehigh and Temple and Penn and PSC
- Current stage
- The municipality has approved the project.
- Decision body
- CMU / Penn State / Pitt / Drexel / Lehigh / Temple / Penn / PSC
- Top issues
- Residents and officials have focused on water use, continuous mechanical noise, and emissions from backup generation.
April 2026 statewide consortium: Carnegie Mellon + Drexel + Lehigh + Penn State + Temple + Penn + Pitt + Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center + Team Pennsylvania. First major university-side AI/quantum compute infrastructure investment.
Coverage of this project
- 2025-07-15 CoreWeaveCoreWeave Announces Multi-Billion Dollar Commitment to AI Infrastructure in PennsylvaniaAnnounced at the same Carnegie Mellon summit that framed the university-linked AI push
Know your rights
In Pennsylvania, a data center on industrial land usually needs a special exception or conditional use, decided by a local Zoning Hearing Board after a public, quasi-judicial hearing. Neighbors can request party status, cross-examine witnesses, and build an evidentiary record. Municipalities can also write data-center ordinances with enforceable standards.
Know your rights →Take action
Organized community opposition is the single most effective check on these projects in Pennsylvania. Show up to hearings, submit comment when it is taken, support legal and expert-witness costs, and ask your municipality for a moratorium and a real ordinance.
How communities push back →