The state already hosts more than 500 data centers.
Tim Warner/Getty Images
Governor Greg Abbott has ordered that Texas utility commissions must conduct a review of any proposed new data centers in the state. In response to the order, the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) must collect information about potential new data centers’ ownership and finances as well as their planned power needs, water use and approach to minimizing the negative impact on residents.
According to third-party statistics, Texas is home to 521 data centers. That’s currently the second-most in the country, behind only Virginia. On top of the existing power demands of those centers, ERCOT is currently reviewing more than 474 gigawatts in requests to connect to the state’s electric grids. The governor’s office said more than 90 percent of those requests stem from data centers, adding that “unprecedented load growth could endanger the reliability and stability of the Texas electric grid.”
We’ve already seen measures aimed at limiting or outright prohibiting data center construction at the federal, state and city level. Given the concerns about resource use and drains on existing infrastructure, data centers have proven deeply unpopular among many US citizens.