Empowering Pittsburgh’s Data Center Future

Pittsburgh’s energy ecosystem is one of its greatest assets. With access to diverse power sources—from traditional generation to renewables—this region offers a flexible foundation for data centers seeking both reliability and sustainability. But energy abundance alone isn’t enough. It must be intelligently managed.

Pittsburgh was built on steel and steam—today, it’s powered by data and innovation. At ASCO Power and Schneider Electric, we’re proud to bridge the gap between the city’s industrial past and its digital future, transforming legacy infrastructure into the backbone of today’s connected world.

Our advanced power source management systems, transfer switches, and energy monitoring technologies are designed to optimize energy use across multiple sources. Whether it’s integrating solar and battery storage or ensuring seamless transitions between utility and backup power, our solutions help data centers operate more efficiently and sustainably.

Industrial Infrastructure Meets Digital Demand

Pittsburgh’s industrial legacy has left behind invaluable assets: space, power access, and connectivity. These are the very ingredients hyperscale and edge data centers need to thrive. Our century-long experience in critical source management, combined with a global leadership in energy management, makes us the ideal partner to transform these assets into Pittsburgh’s new digital infrastructure.

Over the past 15 years, we’ve witnessed an extraordinary transformation in data center design. In 2010, white space rack densities hovered around 2kW. By 2020, that number had quadrupled to 8kW, scaling facilities to 5–20MW with ease. Fast forward to today, amid the AI Revolution, and we’re seeing densities skyrocket to an astonishing 100–200kW per rack. That’s pushing data center footprints into the 100–200MW range, with some campuses eclipsing the 1GW mark. This growth is reshaping our entire ecosystem. Utilities, governments, manufacturers, and consumers are aligning like never before to prepare for a future that’s already arriving. 

And at ASCO Power and Schneider Electric, we’re not just ready—we’re leading the charge. For data center owners, grid resiliency, capacity, and availability are now non-negotiable. Meanwhile, the pace of innovation in green energy, power source management, and sustainability is accelerating at an exponential rate. The global demand for faster, smarter data is driving change at every level—from policy to infrastructure. We’re not just witnessing history—we’re helping write it.

As an example, we helped Bluebird (Springfield, Mo.) expand its 80,000 sq. ft. SOC 2-certified underground data center—located in Tornado Alley—without a single unplanned outage. Our team designed and commissioned a complex paralleling switchgear system supporting three 2-MW generators and multiple utility feeds. As Bluebird’s Facilities Manager put it, “It’s been flawless…ASCO Power has treated Bluebird the same way we treat our customers—like they come first.” From modular source systems to scalable backup solutions, we are helping data centers grow with confidence, knowing their infrastructure is built for performance and future-proofed for expansion.

Innovation That Drives Resilience

As digital infrastructure becomes the backbone of modern society, resilience is no longer just about redundancy—it’s about intelligence. The ability to anticipate, adapt, and respond to power challenges in real-time is shaping the future of critical operations across industries. In this new era, data is as vital as electricity. 

Leaders are rethinking how they manage energy, not just to keep the lights on, but to ensure continuity, safety, and sustainability in an increasingly complex environment. The convergence of operational technology and digital intelligence is enabling a shift from reactive maintenance to proactive resilience. We see this transformation as an opportunity to redefine what it means to be “always on.” It’s about empowering organizations with the insights and tools to make smarter decisions, reduce risk, and build infrastructure that’s not only robust but ready for what’s next.

A Call to Build the Future—Here

Pittsburgh is poised to become a national hub for data centers. It has the energy, the infrastructure, the talent—and now, the technology partners to make it happen. We’re proud to be part of this journey. Together, we can build a resilient, efficient, and sustainable digital backbone for the region—and for the world. Let’s not just build data centers in Pittsburgh—let’s build the future of smart-energy, always-on digital infrastructure. Together.

Travis is a Senior Field Application Engineer at ASCO Power Technologies in Pittsburgh. He specializes in mission-critical power systems, delivering tailored, resilient solutions that meet the highest standards for uptime, redundancy, and scalability.