Abbott orders Texas halt on data center permits

Governor Greg Abbott has directed Texas agencies to pause data center permitting until ERCOT and TWDB audits are completed.

• Abbott’s September 21, 2026 directive orders TCEQ to stop issuing permits sought by data center projects and ties the pause to the ongoing ERCOT and TWDB audits.
• The article explains that the pause may extend beyond grid-connected projects to include island-mode or non-grid-connected generation, with TCEQ required to report compliance by October 19, 2026.