Josh Shapiro rolls out new GRID standards for data centers in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro is moving to regulate the data center boom before it overwhelms the state’s power grid and water supply. His GRID standards, short for Governor’s Responsible Infrastructure Development, represent one of the most comprehensive state-level frameworks for managing data center growth anywhere in the country. The core idea is straightforward: if developers want Pennsylvania’s help, whether through streamlined permitting or sales tax exemptions on equipment, they need to play by Pennsylvania’s rules. Those rules cover energy affordability, environmental protections, community engagement, and economic development. What the GRID standards actually require The framework connects state support to specific compliance criteria. Developers seeking benefits through the Office of Transformation and Opportunity’s Fast Track permitting program must submit comprehensive energy plans, ensuring that none of their power costs get passed along to existing ratepayers. On the clean energy front, developers must source increasing shares of power from in-state dispatchable clean resources. The target ramps up over time, reaching 32% by 2035. They’re also required to cover ...