Fit Energy has announced plans to redevelop former mining and aggregate land in Newport Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, into a technology and data-center project supported by on-site natural-gas fuel-cell power generation.
The company announced Tuesday, October 6, that engineering and remaining permitting work are underway ahead of construction. Newport Township approved zoning for the proposed power-generation and data-center uses in August.
The proposed development would combine a data center with an on-site energy facility using fuel-cell technology supplied by FuelCell Energy under a strategic agreement with Fit Energy. Unlike conventional power plants, which generate electricity by burning fuel, fuel cells produce electricity through an electrochemical process, according to the project announcement.
Fit Energy said the development will require new investments in electricity, natural-gas, water and sewer infrastructure. The company expects construction to generate work for contractors, skilled-trade workers and suppliers over multiple years.
Once operational, the project is expected to support permanent positions in operations, maintenance, security, facility management and technology. Fit Energy also said the development could generate tax revenue for Newport Township, the local school district and Luzerne County.
The project is likely to draw attention from local residents because of its scale, proposed change in land use and potential implications for infrastructure and the surrounding environment. Fit Energy said the site plan would incorporate setbacks, landscaping and screening intended to limit views of the facility from nearby homes and roads.
The company is also working with Newport Township on a Community Benefits Agreement. Fit Energy said the agreement would establish a framework for addressing community priorities, although specific terms have not yet been released.
A public information session is expected to give residents an opportunity to review the proposal and question the project team. As of Tuesday’s announcement, Fit Energy had not announced a date, time or venue for the meeting. Residents can submit questions and follow project updates through NewportDataCenter.com.
Project Details Remain Limited
The October 6 announcement did not disclose the project’s total investment, planned data-center capacity, electricity-generation capacity, number of buildings, construction start date or completion schedule. It also did not identify a data-center tenant or provide projected natural-gas consumption, emissions or water demand.
For now, the Newport Township development remains in the engineering and permitting phase rather than active construction. Its advancement will depend on completing the remaining regulatory approvals and providing further details on the site design, energy system and proposed community agreement.
The Fit Energy project in Pennsylvania is not the only example of developers pairing data-center construction with dedicated power infrastructure. In Nevada, SunPower has also begun work on a solar-power system for a new AI data center in Reno, showing how data-center growth is driving investment in both natural-gas fuel-cell generation and renewable energy.
Factsheet
- Project: Technology and data-center development with on-site fuel-cell power generation.
- Developer: Fit Energy.
- Energy partner: FuelCell Energy.
- Location: Newport Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania.
- Site: Former mining and aggregate land.
- Announcement date: October 6, 2026.
- Current stage: Engineering and remaining permitting.
- Power source: Natural-gas fuel-cell technology.
- Zoning: Township approval granted in August 2026.
- Planned infrastructure: New electricity, natural-gas, water and sewer infrastructure.
- Expected benefits: Construction work, permanent jobs and local tax revenue.
- Community process: Proposed Community Benefits Agreement and public information session.
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