Texas Data Centers Face Growing Scrutiny

Texas is experiencing rapid growth in data centers, but concerns about energy costs and water consumption have prompted regulations and moratoriums. Republican Gov. Greg Abbott has issued new standards requiring data centers to pay for their own grid interconnections and infrastructure costs, and to use closed-loop water systems. Meta has agreed to follow these standards when developing data centers in the Lone Star State. However, Texas director of Public Citizen, Adrian Shelley, expressed concerns that the governor's directive may not be enough to protect communities. Shelley noted that until there is state legislation to protect communities, Texans have little reason to believe Meta and others.

President Donald Trump has criticized Abbott's crackdown on data centers, saying it's a mistake because it will keep money from coming into certain communities. Meanwhile, Amazon is facing backlash for its plans to build a massive data center campus in Pecos County, Texas, which will be powered by a 7.65 gigawatt natural gas power plant. This plant could emit up to 33 million tons of carbon dioxide each year, making it the largest source of pollution in the U.S. if built.