Amazon plans largest US gas power plant for AI data center in Texas

Published Aug 7, 07:26 PM UTC

Amazon is developing a massive 7.65 gigawatt gas power plant in Pecos County, Texas, to power an AI data center, making it the largest pollution source in the U.S. with permitted emissions of 33 million tons of CO2, exceeding the country's biggest coal plant. The project, known as GW Ranch, will operate off the Texas grid initially. Land clearing has begun, and construction permits have been filed. This contradicts Amazon's net-zero by 2040 Climate Pledge. The company claims it has 10 GW of carbon-free energy in Texas and will use non-potable brackish groundwater. However, the project faces likely public backlash due to data center unpopularity across political lines, concerns over pollution, lack of local jobs, and potential grid impacts.