Sunset Park Organizers Demand Hochul block AI-Backed Gas Plant Expansion

Organizers who gathered along the Sunset Park waterfront Thursday morning are experiencing a sharp case of déjà vu. For the second time in six years, local residents, climate advocates and elected officials are mobilizing to stop an expansion of the Gowanus Generating Station: a 640-megawatt fracked gas “peaker” plant scheduled to shut down in 2029. This time, however, the fossil fuel facility is backed by multi-billion-dollar artificial intelligence investors. ArcLight Capital, which operates the plant through Alpha Generation, was recently acquired by AI infrastructure giant DigitalBridge in partnership with Tokyo-based conglomerate SoftBank. Advocates warn the new owners are aiming to convert the facility into a power source for AI data centers, raising concerns about whether New York’s climate law, the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), will hold up against private equity.

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