No project in Rice Township, but 13 nearby
Who decides here: the Township Supervisors (in some larger townships, the Board of Commissioners) of Rice Township votes on zoning. The Luzerne County Planning Commission usually reviews big projects too.
Nearby (within 15 miles)
Brewster Land Company data center challenge (Dorrance Township)
Dorrance Township, Luzerne County
155 acres
🕒 Sept 18, 2026: The Times-Tribune listed the Brewster site (6 buildings, 155 acres) as in a zoning dispu…
Reported in the news, not confirmed yet
Approved, not built yetabout 6 miles awayFit Energy fuel cell power and data center project (Newport Township)
Newport Township, Luzerne County
1,386 acres
🕒 Oct 6, 2026: Fit Energy announced a fuel cell power and data center project on former mining land, wi…
Proposedabout 6 miles awayWilkes-Barre data center site (Avison Young)
Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County
Reported in the news, not confirmed yet
Status unclearabout 10 miles awayPlains Township data center site (KSR)
Plains Township, Luzerne County
🕒 Sept 22, 2026: Packed hearing on a 592-acre Energy and Technology Overlay District. Land purchases in t…
Reported in the news, not confirmed yet
Proposedabout 10 miles awayHollenback Township landowner rezoning for data centers
Hollenback Township, Luzerne County
460 acres
🕒 Sept 18, 2026: The Times-Tribune listed the Hollenback request (11 data centers on 460 acres) with the …
Reported in the news, not confirmed yet
Proposedabout 10 miles awayHunlock Creek power plant data center idea (Castleton Commodities, Hunlock Township)
Hunlock Township, Luzerne County
🕒 Sept 2026: News roundup reported that Shell Energy North America is buying the 169 MW Hunlock Creek…
Reported in the news, not confirmed yet
Local votes and rules
🗺️ Zoning change · Luzerne County
Luzerne County is writing data center rules for the 19 towns that use county zoning. Every data center would need a special exception from the county zoning hearing board. The planning commission recommended it in May 2026 and meets Oct. 8 to review new changes from the county law office. County Council must still vote.
What you can do
- Get told first.
We'll email you if anything changes in Rice Township. - Go to township meetings.
Anyone can speak. Big projects usually need a public hearing. - Ask questions in writing.
Use our checklist.
🔔 Get told first
⚡ Your electric company
Depending on where you live in Rice Township: PPL Electric Utilities Corp. (company) or UGI Utilities, Inc. (company).
Big data centers need a lot of power. Who pays for new power lines depends on state rules. See the rules in Pennsylvania.