Artificial intelligence may be the future, but it runs on one thing: power. Data centers demand reliable, large-scale, uninterrupted energy—and that’s where Southwestern Pennsylvania holds a competitive edge.
For decades, natural gas has been part of this region’s foundation. That expertise now translates directly into the energy infrastructure required to power hyperscale AI data centers. These facilities are not like ordinary buildings. They need gigawatts of electricity, delivered without fail. Any downtime means lost revenue, lost trust, and lost opportunity.
Catalyst Connection works closely with manufacturers already tied to this energy ecosystem—equipment builders, fabricators, component suppliers, and control system experts. The capabilities that support utilities, oil and gas, and heavy industry today can be adapted to serve tomorrow’s AI-driven infrastructure.
The scale is massive. A single data center may consume more power than a small city, requiring contracts that guarantee uptime and systems that balance demand surges. That means opportunity for manufacturers across the supply chain:
Direct data center builds: steel structures, enclosures, racks, cooling systems.
Energy infrastructure: turbine components, distribution systems, monitoring devices, transformers, and more.
Southwestern Pennsylvania already produces much of what’s needed. The next step is aligning existing product lines with the technical standards of hyperscale operators—and preparing for the volumes they require.
To accelerate that alignment, Catalyst Connection and the Pittsburgh Technology Council are co-hosting the AI Data Center Supply Chain Forum on October 1, 2025. Energy leaders, manufacturers, and technology experts will map out where demand is heading and how regional firms can seize the opportunity.
AI runs on electricity, and our region is uniquely positioned to deliver—both the fuel and the hardware. From gas to gigawatts, Southwestern Pennsylvania has the pieces in place. Catalyst Connection is here to help manufacturers make the connection and grow with this emerging market.