From THE DAILY CALLER

Audrey Streb
DCNF Energy Reporter

President Donald Trump announced Tuesday in Pennsylvania that 20 companies are bringing $92 billion in energy and technology investment to the Keystone State, capital he says will help secure U.S. dominance in both fields.

Announcements included multi-billion investments into artificial intelligence (AI) data centers, natural gas plants and hydropower facilities in the state. The investments are expected to strengthen Pennsylvania’s electricity grid and pave the way for America to lead the world in AI innovation, Trump said from the Pennsylvania Energy and Innovation Summit at Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh.

“Today’s commitments are ensuring that the future is going to be designed, built and made right here in Pennsylvania and right here in Pittsburgh, and, I have to say, right here in the United States of America,” Trump said. “The investments being announced this afternoon include more than $56 billion dollars in new energy infrastructure, and more than $36 billion dollars in new data center projects — and a lot more than that are going to be announced in the coming weeks.” (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: Trump’s Energy Agenda Can Help US Beat China In Crucial Tech Race, Oil Industry Leader Says)

TRUMP: “20 leading technology and energy companies are announcing more than $92 billion in investments in Pennsylvania.” pic.twitter.com/5BwNrKGOux

— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) July 15, 2025

Trump also said at the summit that Knighthead Capital Management plans to invest $15 billion to resurrect the defunct Homer City Generating Station. The plant was the largest coal-fired power station in Pennsylvania before its closure in 2023, according to the Energy Information Administration.

The summit featured Trump, cabinet members, major energy and tech industry leaders, as well as Republican Pennsylvania Sen. Dave McCormick and Democratic Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro.

Tech companies like Google, Blackstone and CoreWeave pledged to invest billions into AI infrastructure and data centers served by the PJM Interconnection, the power grid that delivers electricity to Pennsylvania and numerous other states.

The Department of Energy (DOE) issued an emergency order to the grid operator in May, ordering Pennsylvania to keep some generation units online past their scheduled retirement dates in order to prevent power shortages.

AI data centers burn through large amounts of power, and they are expected to proliferate while American energy infrastructure ages and power plants are retired. The combination has led some power grid analysts to project that U.S. power supply may be inadequate in the coming years barring the addition of new generation.

While former President Joe Biden went all in on green energy initiatives, Trump has favored more conventional power sources and declared an energy emergency on the first day of his term. Since then, Trump has signed several executive orders to clear red tape for energy technology like nuclear and coal and his administration has moved to strengthen America’s ailing electricity grid.

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By Karen Harbert

Today, countries around the globe are in a new race for primacy of artificial intelligence (AI) that will define economic and technological competition in the 21st century. As global powers like China accelerate investments, America’s ability to lead hinges on its capability to rapidly scale compute capacity, a feat dependent on abundant and available energy. While many energy sources will play a role, there is one that can provide the reliability, flexibility, and scalability to keep America at the head of the race: natural gas.

Advancing AI infrastructure means providing the energy to support exponential computational growth. From California to Texas to Virginia, data centers are popping up at an unprecedented rate, each requiring extensive power infrastructure. Goldman Sachs Research estimates data center power demand will grow by 160% by 2030.

Without adequate energy infrastructure, America’s AI ambitions risk being throttled. The race for AI primacy depends on our ability to scale our energy infrastructure to meet the growing demand while maintaining reliability, affordability and safety for data centers, for businesses and manufacturing and for our families.

Of all the available energy sources in the U.S., natural gas is uniquely positioned to support the rapid demand growth required for America to lead the way in AI without jeopardizing reliability or affordability. With more than 2.8 million miles of pipeline networks, extensive storage systems, and abundant natural gas resources, the U.S. natural gas industry is strategically placed to serve as the backbone of a scalable energy system that can reliably meet surging energy demands.

We currently have a front row seat to history with the opportunity to accelerate the buildout of the vast natural gas pipeline system to meet the increasing energy demands from data centers. Pipeline development projects help to ensure consistent and reliable energy delivery to new large demand centers and existing consumers.

Every year, more than 21,000 businesses sign up to use natural gas for their manufacturing processes, heating needs, and operational tasks. Its cost-effectiveness is unmatched, with natural gas saving commercial and industrial customers more than half a trillion dollars over the last decade.

Data centers value reliability of supply at a premium: 78% of surveyed data centers experienced power outages between 2017 and 2020, with unplanned downtime costing some facilities more than $100,000 per incident. Such losses of power risk corrupting data, halting critical services, and even melting down servers. With only one in 650 natural gas customers expected to experience a planned or unplanned natural gas outage in any given year, natural gas is a clear solution.

Natural gas continues to drive clean energy in the power sector. Since 2005, natural gas has been responsible for 60% of the CO2 emission reductions in electricity generation. As the energy sector advances and innovates, natural gas will continue to play a vital role in driving sustainable progress.

The partnership of natural gas and AI can position American business and manufacturing at the forefront of innovation. It can increase living standards and fuel economic growth in ways unseen since the Industrial Revolution. It will strengthen our national security and keep America as a production giant on the global stage.

The innovative relationship between AI and natural gas also creates a virtuous cycle – while natural gas fuels AI, the technology itself provides vast opportunities to help make natural gas distribution smarter, more efficient and cleaner. Advanced AI can optimize energy exploration, enhance system repairs and improvements, and create a cleaner, more efficient and less costly natural gas system. Further innovation in renewable natural gas and hydrogen blending will also continue to advance a more efficient, lower-emissions energy system.

The U.S. has always risen to the challenge of global competition through innovation, resilience and strategic investment. In the 1960s, it was about reaching the moon. Today, it’s about leading on artificial intelligence, maximizing our economic capabilities, and winning that race against competitors like China. According to a report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies, U.S. natural gas provides the critical competitive advantage that America can utilize to get ahead.

Natural gas is the key to ensuring America wins in this race. Policymakers must recognize the critical intersection of energy and AI competitiveness. Accelerating the expansion and modernization of natural gas infrastructure is needed to keep pace with growing demand. Therefore, streamlined permitting reform is now vital to support American innovation. The stakes are high, and the competition is fierce, but with natural gas fueling our advancement, America is well-equipped to cross the finish line first.

Karen Harbert is President and CEO of the American Gas Association. 

This article was originally published by RealClearEnergy and made available via RealClearWire.