Newport Residents Raise Water Questions About Fit Energy Data Center Plan

Newport Township residents raised questions about water and local effects at an Oct. 28 open house for Fit Energy’s proposed data center, bringing community concerns into focus as project details remained under study.

Hundreds of residents and elected officials attended the session at Greater Nanticoke Area High School. Karen Samuels, a township resident, said she wanted an in-person response to her questions. “I don't want a comment form. I want a person. I'm here tonight, and there is no person here to talk to,” she said. Samuels said she had sought a guarantee that the project would not affect well water but was told one could not be given.

Fit Energy CEO Joel Leonoff described the company as a partner and said it wanted to communicate with residents. “We’re a partner here, and we want to be communicative,” he said, adding that the company hoped the meeting would ease concerns.

Fit Energy announced the project Oct. 6 for land that had previously been mined and quarried. Newport Township approved zoning for data center and power uses in August. Plans include on-site fuel cells alongside utility-grid power, while final equipment choices and utility arrangements remained under study.

When Fit Energy announced the project, engineering and remaining permitting work were underway. Work with the township on a community benefits agreement was also underway as of Oct. 6. The planned agreement was intended to direct investment toward priorities identified by residents.

The proposal comes amid Pennsylvania’s broader debate over data center infrastructure costs and community benefits, including a prior Pennsylvania proposal to provide grants near a planned data center.

A separate agreement between Fit Energy and FuelCell Energy covers up to 380 megawatts of fuel-cell systems across four phases for Fit Energy’s potential data center projects. The initial 30-megawatt phase is committed. Fit Energy can elect to proceed with the remaining 350 megawatts in phases of 100, 125 and 125 megawatts, with no payment obligation for those phases until it makes that choice. The agreement does not specify how much capacity, if any, would be allocated to Newport Township.

Delivery of the initial 30-megawatt phase was expected to begin in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2026.