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Ector County is being eyed as a prime spot for new AI data centers, which could bring a ton of jobs and growth to the area. The catch is that our local power grid might struggle to keep up with the massive energy demands these facilities require.
At a glance
Rising â being discussed more frequently. 11 mentions in the last 30 days, 11 the 60 before, 1 the 90 before that.
Unknown.
Data center developers and potentially the local tax base.
Local residents concerned about environmental quality.
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By Alejandra Martinez and Alex Ford, The Texas Tribune Gov. Greg Abbott has directed the Texas Water Development Board, the state agency tasked with overseeing the stateâs water planning process, to penalize data centers that do not report their wate...
By Paul Cobler, The Texas Tribune The cities of Austin and San Antonio stand to lose hundreds of millions in revenue each year if a proposal by Gov. Greg Abbott to disband their energy utilities is enacted by the Legislature. Thatâs the point, say su...
AUSTIN Senator Kevin Sparks issued the following statement after the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC) approved Certificates of Convenience and Necessity for two 765-kV transmission projects that form Import Path 1 of the Permian Basin Reliabi...
Protecting the Texas energy industry from cyberattacks is a very complex assignment that the state and industry are girding themselves for in every possible way, cognizant that the threats are always evolving. The new Texas Cyber Command watches over...
By Carlos Nogueras Ramos, The Texas Tribune ODESSA In a move that could dramatically reshape the stateâs electricity infrastructure, alleviate a years-long energy bottleneck and anger landowners, the Public Utility Commission of Texas has authorized ...
Just a few months ago, Gov. Greg Abbott and other state officials celebrated Texas as a primary location for new computer data centers. This month, however, the governor ordered a pause on data center development, after valid concerns arose about the...
By JENNIFER McDERMOTT and MATTHEW DALY The Associated Press WASHINGTON The U.S. Army announced Wednesday that it plans to add nuclear microreactors at five military bases from New York to Texas as a reliable source of energy independent of the commer...
Residents expressed concerns about the environmental effects of proposed data centers, including water and air pollution.
By Paul Cobler, The Texas Tribune For the first time in five years since Winter Storm Uri turned the electrical grid into a political albatross for Texas leaders, the stateâs grid has again become a liability for politicians. Many residents donât wan...
WASHINGTON President Donald Trump, speaking alongside cryptocurrency leaders at the White House this week, made a statement that Republican and Democratic candidates alike wouldnât touch with a 10-foot pole. âIf I were the mayor of a town or the gove...
By MARC LEVY The Associated Press HARRISBURG, Pa. More governors are shifting their stances or taking more steps to squeeze data centers as the midterm elections near and public opinion sours on the energy-hungry behemoths tech giants are building to...
By Paul Cobler, The Texas Tribune Tech companies are lining up to voice support for Gov. Greg Abbottâs audit of data centers seeking to connect to the power grid, although little is known about what the audit will entail or what it means for the data...
By Taylor Goldenstein, The Texas Tribune President Donald Trump this week criticized Texas for being anti-data centers, just days after Republican Gov. Greg Abbott paused industry-wide approvals until the companies provide the state with more informa...
AUSTIN The RRC issued a total of 693 original drilling permits in July 2026. The total includes 612 to drill new oil or gas wells, 11 to re-enter plugged wellbores, 9 field transfer, 58 for re-completion and 3 reclass. The breakdown of well types for...
By Jayme Lozano Carver, The Texas Tribune LUBBOCK Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller said Thursday that Republicans are going to lose some statewide elections this year because of data centers, which has become a heated issue for Texas across ...
AUSTIN Governor Greg Abbott on Monday directed the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) to conduct a comprehensive verification and audit of all data centers advancing through ERCOTâs interco...
By Carlos Nogueras Ramos and Paul Cobler, The Texas Tribune ODESSA A growing chorus of Texas lawmakers is calling on the stateâs electric grid managers and utility regulators to halt an expansive and increasingly controversial project to build transm...
By Paul Cobler, The Texas Tribune Amid growing public backlash to the rapid buildout of data centers across Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday announced a moratorium on the approval of data centers until regulatory agencies can audit proposed data cen...
By Natalie Weber, Houston Public Media, The Texas Tribune Texasâ power grid operators are calling for state lawmakers to expand their authority to regulate data centers, following a recent directive to rein in these facilities from Gov. Greg Abbott. ...
The rapid deployment of Texasâ battery storage industry is providing significant cost savings for consumers and helping to stabilize the statewide electric grid by discharging during periods of peak demand. The result is that Texas is now the nationâ...
MIDLAND Power West Texas, a campaign representing the region most directly affected by delays in building electric transmission capacity, launched Tuesday to voice strong support for the timely completion of the Permian Basin Reliability Plan. The Pe...
Residents are worried about the environmental and resource impact of a new AI data center project near Penwell.