A proposed plan would turn the power plant into a data center.
The Bruce Mansfield coal power plant lies in Shippingport, a Beaver County borough along the Ohio River.
The coal plant shuttered more than five years ago. A newly proposed multibillion-dollar plan would revive the old coal plant to serve as a data center.
The Bruce Mansfield plant employed nearly 1,000 people at its peak, which is more than five times the population of Shippingport itself. Former site owner FirstEnergy Solutions Corp. said a “lack of economic viability” and market conditions were to blame when the site closed in 2019.
The proposed redevelopment plan was presented in July at the Energy and Innovation Summit held at Carnegie Mellon University by Senator Dave McCormick. President Trump and Governor Josh Shapiro were also in attendance to discuss artificial intelligence and energy production in the Commonwealth.
In the Beaver Valley, the promise to revive the old Bruce Mansfield coal plant sparks a new wave of optimism. Let's go more opportunity @RobPratte Monday Night 🌙 @KDKARadio https://t.co/qsEG6sTPWI pic.twitter.com/yW7ME4bnF7
— 100.1 FM and AM 1020 KDKA (@KDKARadio) August 4, 2025
The proposal would turn the site into a natural gas generation plant and an AI data center, according to Frontier Group. The group says the conversion of the plant would bring more than $6 billion into the regional economy in Pennsylvania while creating jobs.
Midland’s population has been declining since the 1960’s. The town had more than 6,000 residents but has a little over 2,000 today. Businesses have been leaving Midland, which was once a booming town full of everything its residents could need.
More than 340 full-time jobs are expected to come from the proposal for the Bruce Mansfield plant.
According to Frontier, the construction of the natural gas generation plant and AI data center would create more than 15,000 construction jobs in Shippingport.
Some residents are worried the economic boost will be short-lived. While the temporary influx of short-term jobs will be beneficial, the borough council is determining how it would handle an increase in workers and potential residents.
Developers say the plant will generate more than $13 million in state tax revenue and more than $6 million in county tax revenue. Midland’s entire budget is currently only $2 million.
