Energy, Data Centers and the Future of Pennsylvania

What does it really take to build the future of AI infrastructure in Pennsylvania?

At the PA Data Center and Energy Innovation Summit, TechVibe Radio sat down with an incredible cross-section of leaders shaping that answer in real time, from federal energy officials and battery innovators to legal experts, labor leaders, infrastructure partners, and the voices behind a major new statewide data center study.

Powered by Comcast, these conversations go beyond the buzzwords. They dig into the power, policy, manufacturing, workforce, storage, cooling, and community dynamics that will determine whether Pennsylvania can emerge as a true leader in the next era of AI and data center growth. Taken together, this podcast series offers a front-row seat to one of the most important economic and technological opportunities facing the Commonwealth right now.

If you want a slightly more punchy version with an attention-grabbing first sentence, try this:

Can Pennsylvania become the powerhouse behind America’s AI future?

This special TechVibe Radio podcast series from the PA Data Center and Energy Innovation Summit explores that question from every angle. Featuring leaders in energy, infrastructure, storage, manufacturing, labor, law, and public policy, these interviews reveal what it will take to turn Pennsylvania’s natural advantages into real momentum in the race for AI and data center leadership.

PA Data Center Summit: The Blue-Collar Backbone of the AI Economy

What does the AI and data center boom look like from the skilled trades? Shawn Steffey of the Boilermakers makes the case that none of this future gets built without the people who build energy infrastructure in the first place.

He talks about Pennsylvania’s long leadership in electricity generation, the role of union labor and the building trades, and why the Commonwealth needs a serious bipartisan energy plan if it wants to seize this moment. This is a passionate conversation about careers, workforce, and the blue-collar backbone of the tech economy.

PA Data Center Summit: Can Pennsylvania Capture More of the AI Economy?

Buchanan's Randy Vulakovich breaks down one of the summit’s clearest takeaways: Pennsylvania is already in the data center game, but it has not yet captured the full opportunity. Based on the newly released study, he explains how the Commonwealth is already producing power and manufacturing critical equipment, but still needs to win more of the actual data center development itself.

The conversation covers Pennsylvania’s “three-legged stool” opportunity, the challenge of local approvals, and why community education will be critical if the state wants to turn energy and industrial capacity into lasting economic growth.

PA Data Center Summit: Babst Calland’s Justine Kasznica on Building Pennsylvania’s AI Backbone

Justine Kasznica of Babst Calland explains why the “Empire of Lights” story is about far more than data center hype. She joins TechVibe to talk about the powerful manufacturing base behind Pennsylvania’s AI opportunity, the Westinghouse and Tesla legacy still shaping the region, and why companies like Eos, Eaton, Hitachi, Mitsubishi, and Emerson matter so much in the larger picture.

She also gets into the two issues that could define Pennsylvania’s success: grid reliability and speed. It is a smart conversation about how legal, policy, and industrial strategy all have to line up if the Commonwealth wants to lead.

PA Data Center Summit: Undersecretary Alex Fitzsimmons on Energy, AI and Why Pennsylvania Matters Now

What does America’s AI race look like from the U.S. Department of Energy? At the PA Data Center and Energy Innovation Summit, Acting Under Secretary of Energy Alex Fitzsimmons joins TechVibe to talk about why energy and AI are now inseparable, how the Marcellus Shale changed the nation’s energy position, and why speed-to-power is becoming a defining competitive advantage.

He also explains how the administration is thinking about ratepayer protection, domestic energy abundance, and the role regions like Pittsburgh can play in powering the next generation of AI infrastructure. This is a big-picture conversation about energy dominance, technology leadership, and why Pennsylvania is right in the thick of it.

PA Data Center Summit: Eos Energy’s Michelle Buczkowski on Batteries Built for AI Data Centers

How do batteries help solve one of the biggest bottlenecks in AI and data center growth? Michelle Buczkowski of Eos Energy breaks down how long-duration storage can smooth power demand, reduce congestion, and support the kind of fast, flexible energy response modern data centers need. S

he explains why Eos is building in Pittsburgh, how its zinc-based battery technology differs from conventional options, and why safety, stackability, and speed matter so much in the real world. It is a sharp look at the role energy storage could play in making AI infrastructure more resilient and more practical.

PA Data Center Summit: Donwil’s Chris Massetti on Cooling, Power and the AI Data Center Boom

Chris Massetti of Donwil brings a ground-level perspective to the AI infrastructure boom, explaining why data centers have always been an energy story as much as a technology story. In this conversation, he reflects on Donwil’s 60-year history in the data center business, why AI is only increasing the need for power and cooling, and how Pennsylvania can compete more aggressively with states like Ohio. He also talks about the rise of liquid cooling, the service jobs being created around AI facilities, and why the Commonwealth has the ingredients to win, even if it still has a few hills to climb.