Surge in Data Centers Helps Drive M-U Gas Demand in the Northeast
Data center growth is rapidly reshaping Northeast power and natural gas markets, with projects clustering near transmission lines, substations, gas-fired power generation, and pipeline corridors. Virginia remains the epicenter, led by Northern Virginia’s massive hyperscale hub and tens of gigawatts of planned capacity. Ohio is emerging fast around Columbus, with more than 15 GW proposed. Pennsylvania could become a major growth story, pairing Marcellus/Utica gas resources with large campuses such as Homer City’s planned 4.5-GW gas-fired/data center redevelopment. However, PA is attempting to shoot itself in the foot with talk of both short- and long-term moratoriums on new data center construction. So, the jury is still very much out on how successful PA will be with data centers. Read More “Surge in Data Centers Helps Drive M-U Gas Demand in the Northeast”
In April, MDN reported that PowerTransitions, an independent power producer specializing in redeveloping legacy power facilities, had agreed to acquire five New York gas-fired power plants — Batavia, Hillburn, Massena, Shoemaker, and Sterling — totaling 323 megawatts (MW) from Alliance Energy Group affiliates (see 
All we can say is, get the heck out of New York while you still can. Sooner or later, property values in the “Empire” State will crash. (Probably sooner rather than later.) Yesterday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (2nd Circuit) ruled in support of New York State banning natural gas from being used in new home (and business) construction across the entire state. If it stands, it is the beginning of the end for NY. The end will eventually come when Wall Street firms finally give up and move from New York City to Texas or Florida, completely bankrupting the state from lost revenues. 
Northampton Capital Partners, a middle-market infrastructure asset manager with roughly $1.4 billion under management, has partnered with New Jersey–based Olympus Power to form a joint venture called Winslow Power. Winslow has agreed to acquire three natural gas–fired power plants totaling 752 MW from a Vistra Corp. subsidiary: the 541-MW Casco Bay combined-cycle facility in Veazie, Maine; the 108-MW Beaver Falls dual-fuel turbine in Croghan, NY; and the 103-MW Syracuse dual-fuel turbine in Solvay, NY. Pending regulatory approval, the deal is expected to close later in 2026. And yes, there is a Marcellus/Utica connection in this story. 
We have an update on the lawsuit to overturn New York’s laws that ban shale fracking. In April, a father and son who own mineral rights for a 164-acre tract in Delaware County, NY, filed a lawsuit (with the help of the Pacific Legal Foundation) against New York for “taking” their rights to profit from fracking their minerals (see 
In mid-April, MDN brought you the great news that a major lawsuit had been filed against New York State, alleging a “taking” of private property by the state through its ban on fracking (see 
New York State, with its bizarre energy policies, has officially bankrupted yet another company. Danskammer Energy, which operates a gas-fired peaker power plant along the Hudson River in Newburgh, NY, had tried for years to upgrade the plant (since 2018), but finally threw in the towel in June 2024 (see 
Big Green groups rallied Tuesday in Peekskill (Westchester County, NY) against Enbridge’s proposed Project Beacon, a natural gas pipeline expansion that would increase capacity on the Algonquin Gas Transmission line. Radicals lied by saying the project would “burden ratepayers” already facing high living costs. How do you figure? Algonquin is a transmission pipeline, and its expansion will be paid for by Enbridge (and its shareholders), not by increasing local utility rates. Yet these liars are never called out for their false statements by the media. 
Yesterday, President Trump accused New York Governor Kathy Hochul of reneging on her pledge to allow the 125-mile Constitution Pipeline project to be built in the Empire State. The project was canceled in 2020 after New York repeatedly rejected the necessary permits. President Trump brokered a deal with New York Governor Kathy Hochul to resurrect the project last year (see 
In mid-April, MDN brought you the great news that a major lawsuit had been filed against New York State alleging a “taking” of private property by the state via the state ban on fracking (see 
The Democrats who rule New York State with an iron fist recently signed a new budget bill into law (57 days late). In New York, the sleazy politicians who run the state slip all sorts of legislation into bills unrelated to the budget. They operate on the “throw as much crap against the wall as you can to see what sticks” theory of legislating. This year, the legislature and governor finally had to face the reality that the state’s 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) was not feasible. So they changed it, much to the distress of the radical environmental left. As part of the budget bill, the Dems lightened up on requirements in the CLCPA. The end result is that natural gas infrastructure, including new gas pipelines, is once again on the agenda. 
About a month ago, MDN brought you the exciting news that a father and son who own land in Upstate New York (not far from MDN HQ) have sued New York State for “taking” their right to allow shale drilling and fracking under their land (see 
This is a critical moment for reliable, affordable energy in the Northeast, and your voice can make a difference. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is currently accepting public comments on the Constitution Pipeline, representing an important step toward finally advancing this long-delayed project and a key opportunity for supporters to be heard. If you support building the Constitution Pipeline, please take a few minutes to submit a brief comment to FERC by May 4, 2026, because your input truly matters. We have instructions below on how to file a comment (it takes just a couple of minutes). 
New York’s electric grid faces its lowest reliability margins in recent history this summer, with only 417 MW available under baseline conditions, according to the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO). This critical situation stems from extreme weather, an aging generation fleet, and a lack of new dispatchable resources. NYISO’s annual Summer Reliability Assessment (copy below) says an extended heat wave of three days or more, with temperatures around 95 degrees, could result in a capacity deficit of -1,679 MW, increasing to -3,370 MW at 98 degrees, potentially leading to blackouts. NYISO can implement emergency measures like purchasing energy or voluntary curtailment to mitigate shortfalls, but the overall margin for error is extremely narrow. 
Williams has commenced construction of its Transco Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) project, extending through northeast Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York (see