Oklahoma Data Center News

May 7, 2026

Core Scientific’s Muskogee Bet: Can Crypto-Era Infrastructure Fuel AI?

Core Scientific has announced plans to scale its Muskogee, Okla., campus to roughly 1.5 GW of gross power capacity for AI data center deployment.

Main announcement: Core Scientific will expand Muskogee to about 1.5 GW gross power capacity, target ~1 GW leasable power, agreed to acquire Polaris DS LLC (which controls 440 MW of contracted power with Oklahoma Gas & Electric); the Polaris transaction is expected to close in Q3 2026, pending regulatory approvals. The company has secured ~250 acres for future development and is constructing a second unleased 82.5 MW building with initial delivery expected Q4 2027.
Background and other details: Core Scientific’s existing 70 MW leased Muskogee facility (designed for Nvidia GB300 systems) is in final testing and on track for delivery Q2 2026. The Muskogee plan follows an April 2026 announcement to scale the Pecos, Texas site to ~1.5 GW, bringing the combined targeted gross capacity to roughly 3 GW; the company is pursuing acquisitions, grid expansion studies, and behind-the-meter generation to accelerate capacity.

May 6, 2026

AEP Q1 2026 GAAP earnings rise 9% to $874m

American Electric Power (AEP) reported Q1 2026 GAAP earnings of $874m and raised its five-year capital plan to $78bn.

Q1 financial results and guidance: AEP reported GAAP earnings of $874m (up 9.3% vs Q1 2025) and non-GAAP operating earnings of $891m (up 8.3%); quarterly revenue was $6.02bn (up 10.2%). AEP maintained full-year 2026 operating earnings guidance of EPS $6.15–$6.45.
Capital plan, load growth and project details: AEP increased its five-year capital plan to $78bn (from $72bn), with $33bn targeted for transmission projects (42% of plan). AEP reported new load agreements totalling 7GW in Q1, expects incremental load of 63GW by 2030, and says AEP Texas accounts for 41GW of commitments. New projects include 765kV transmission lines across the Southwest Power Pool and PJM regions; implementation of Texas Senate Bill 6 is expected to streamline interconnection processes. AEP also cites use of federal grants and loan guarantees to deliver nearly $600m in customer savings.

May 3, 2026

OPINION: Environmental stewardship is community wellness

The Cherokee Nation has proposed the Cherokee Nation Energy and Sustainability Act of 2026 to the Council of the Cherokee Nation.

Main action: The proposed Cherokee Nation Energy and Sustainability Act of 2026 would create a dedicated Office of Energy Programs within the Secretary of Natural Resources, require rolling three-year plans beginning in 2027, and mandate net reductions in energy and water use every three years while establishing programs like “Cherokee Nation Recycles” and “Litter Free Cherokee Nation”.
Background and supporting details: The Nation released its 2025 Annual Energy Report, reported initiatives that avoided nearly 1 million pounds of CO2 in 2025, had 16 community buildings generate more than 145,000 kilowatt-hours of solar electricity, pilot composting diverted more than 1,000 pounds of organic waste, and more than 2,100 households received energy assistance through LIHEAP.

Apr 30, 2026 · Google

How we’re protecting energy affordability in Oklahoma

Google announced a long-term energy agreement with Oklahoma Gas and Electric (OG&E).

Main action: Google will make a long-term financial commitment to pay for the infrastructure needed to serve its under-construction data center campuses in Muskogee and Stillwater, ensuring local households and businesses are not billed for that infrastructure and aiming to protect affordability for OG&E customers.
Background and implementation details: In November Google announced power purchase agreements (PPAs) for solar plants in Stephens and Muskogee Counties; Google will provide capacity purchase agreements from those facilities to OG&E to supplement supply and partially offset the need for new energy projects as regional electricity demand grows.

Apr 30, 2026

Environmental protest on campus

The Associated Students at the University of California Riverside Office of External Affairs and the Green Campus Action Plan organized an environmental protest on April 21 to raise awareness of air pollution and climate justice issues in the Inland Empire.

Event details: Protest held on April 21 in front of UCR’s bell tower; organized by Associated Students at the University of California Riverside Office of External Affairs and Green Campus Action Plan with participation from Center for Community Action and Environmental Justice (CCAEJ) to highlight concerns about data center and warehouse growth, UCR’s industrial boiler emissions, and local air quality.
Background and policy focus: Organizers urged student engagement in local politics (including Riverside’s General Plan update and truck routing/warehouse development decisions), and noted ongoing collaboration with the South Coast Air Quality Management District on stricter regulations and transitions to zero-emission technologies (electric boilers, heat pumps). Locations mentioned include Moreno Valley and Bloomington in the Inland Empire.

Apr 29, 2026

Dashboards, AI infrastructure and the States Leading Both

Dell participated in two National Governors Association (NGA) convenings in Charleston and Philadelphia to advance statewide data dashboards for student/system success and to discuss energy infrastructure needs as AI scales.

Dell participated in two NGA convenings:
- Location: Charleston, SC (NGA Policy Academy to Advance Data Dashboards Measuring Student and System Success) and Philadelphia (NGA Chair’s Initiative “Reigniting the American Dream”).
- Date: not specified in article
- Time: not specified in article
- Agenda/subject: designing user-centered data dashboards that connect agencies and measure student/system success; discussing permitting reform, grid upgrades, and community engagement to support AI-driven energy demand.
Key follow-ups and context:
- Technical examples and gaps: Indiana’s “Graduates Prepared to Succeed” dashboard cited as a model; teams identified measurement gaps in civic preparation and student well-being.
- Energy and permitting focus: states are prioritizing permitting reform, grid upgrades, smarter demand mapping and energy-efficient design; the article cites a multi-year permitting example (“a project that takes seven years to permit”) as a strategic liability.

Apr 29, 2026

Maine Vetoes Data Center Moratorium, but Pressure Continues

Maine Governor Janet Mills vetoed legislation that would have imposed a temporary statewide moratorium on large-scale data center development.

Main action: The governor vetoed the moratorium bill because it failed to exempt a $550 million data center project planned for the former Androscoggin Mill site in Jay, Maine; she said she supports a temporary pause to study impacts but will instead issue an executive order to establish a council to study data center growth impacts (electricity costs, environment, local communities). Key specifics: $550 million project, >800 construction jobs, ≥100 permanent jobs, announcement dated April 24 via the governor’s letter.
Background and context: The article summarizes broader national dynamics: growing local and state moratoriums, industry concerns about relocation to accommodating states (e.g., Texas, Oklahoma), and a proposed federal moratorium introduced by Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez; third-party data shows $18 billion halted and $46 billion delayed in projects over the past two years (Data Center Watch). The governor’s action is an announcement (veto + executive order), not a finalized moratorium.

Apr 16, 2026

Williams CEO: Tulsa must do more to keep companies and talent

Williams president and CEO Chad Zamarin urged Tulsa to compete harder for companies and talent and called for critical investments in infrastructure and workforce.

Main announcement/action: Chad Zamarin said Tulsa must compete harder for companies and talent and warned the city and state risk losing more employers and workers unless critical investments are made; he emphasized Williams expects significant growth in the coming decade and needs a city that can grow with it. Zamarin highlighted rising demand drivers such as exports, manufacturing and data centers and said speed is critical as AI drives new power needs (“We are not going to win the race for AI if it takes six to eight years to scale up our AI infrastructure”).
Background and other details: Williams (founded 1908) operates roughly one-third of U.S. natural gas through its pipeline, gathering, processing and storage systems; the company is evaluating solar, hydrogen, nuclear and battery storage while prioritizing projects deployable at scale in the near term. The remarks were made at a sold-out April Friends of Finance Executive Speaker Series luncheon at The University of Tulsa; the event was the last of the 2025-26 series and the 2026-27 series will begin in September with new UTulsa President Stacy Leeds.

Event details:

Date: April (sold-out April Friends of Finance Executive Speaker Series luncheon)
Time: null
Location: The University of Tulsa
Agenda/subject: energy infrastructure, natural gas and electricity demand, AI-driven power needs, regional development and talent attraction

Apr 10, 2026

As Trump throws lifeline to coal plants, critics warn of higher costs and health risks

The Trump administration has used emergency powers to prevent scheduled coal plant retirements and to fund upgrades that keep plants operating.

Main action: The administration issued emergency orders to keep at least five coal plants from closing, spent $175 million on upgrades for seven plants, is considering $350 million more in applications, and officials (e.g., Interior Secretary Doug Burgum) have articulated a goal of “100 per cent stay open, no more retirements”, citing grid reliability concerns. The administration also used measures that delayed the planned retirement of the Schahfer Generating Station in Indiana and justified keeping it online for extreme weather power needs.
Background and details: The piece references analysis by Enverus that suggested no additional coal retirements may occur during the administration; it notes 34 GW of coal capacity was set to retire before 2029, coal plants slated to retire emitted >130 million tons CO2 last year, and that keeping the fleet afloat could cost about $1 billion annually. Legal challenges have been filed by multiple states (Washington, Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan, Colorado).

Apr 4, 2026

Maine Set to Become First State to Halt New AI Data Centers

Maine lawmakers have passed a bill to pause new large-scale data center projects of 20 megawatts or more until November 2027.

Main action: The Maine House passed legislation to pause new data center projects ≥20 megawatts (roughly enough to power 15,000–20,000 homes) until November 2027; the bill is expected to advance in the Maine Senate where Democrats hold a majority and Gov. Janet Mills has signaled support with potential exemptions for projects already in progress.
Context and details: The proposal was first reported by The Wall Street Journal and aims to study impacts on electricity costs, the power grid, land and water; U.S. data centers used about 183 terawatt-hours in 2024 (>4% of U.S. power use) with that figure expected to more than double by 2030. The issue has federal attention — President Donald Trump has urged tech firms to cover more infrastructure/energy costs, and Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have proposed national legislation to temporarily pause data center construction. Similar moratoria proposals are under consideration in at least 10 other states including New York, South Carolina, and Oklahoma.

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