Texas Data Center Intel

Recent Texas data center news

• Jan 20, 2026

  Switched Source Expands Grid-Enhancing Technology Deployments by 60%

  Switched Source reported a 60% increase in deployments of its Phase-EQ grid-enhancing technology over the past year, with units now operating across more than 10 utility service areas from Alaska to Florida.

  • Deployment growth & scope: Switched Source reports a 60% increase in deployments year-over-year, with Phase-EQ units operating in more than 10 utility service areas including New York, Alaska, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Massachusetts, Texas, and Washington state; field data from operational sites shows 10% to 25% increase in load-serving capacity on active distribution circuits.
  • Device function & program support: Phase-EQ is described as the first distribution automation device that balances power flow between the three phases by exchanging real and reactive power; the company was founded in 2016 and the project is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s ARPA-E SCALEUP program. A recent Georgia Power deployment is designed to reduce load imbalance by half and voltage imbalance by more than 30%, with the utility supplying substation-level data to track performance.
• Jan 20, 2026

  Moody’s: $3 Trillion Data Center Investment by 2030 Amid Power Challenges

  Moody’s Ratings has released its 2026 outlook for global data center infrastructure projecting major investment and highlighting power and AI-related risks.

  • Main announcement: Moody’s projects at least $3 trillion in global data center infrastructure investment over the next five years, forecasts global data center electricity consumption to reach ~600 TWh in 2026 (up from 525 TWh in 2025), and estimates the six largest hyperscalers in the US will spend $500 billion in capex in 2026, rising to $600 billion in 2027. The outlook also flags a potential AI investment bubble and rising construction and operating costs due to labor, commodities, and equipment constraints.
  • Background and details: Moody’s notes key constraints and responses: power availability (DOE projects AI could account for 9% of US electricity demand by 2030), reliance on pre-leased capacity to large tech tenants increasing counterparty concentration, developers’ short-term use of behind-the-meter generation, medium-term contracts for new generation and transmission, and long-term interest in emerging technologies such as small modular reactors (SMRs). The report includes comments from Moody’s senior VPs John Medina and Raj Joshi on lease risk allocation and diversification strategies.
• Jan 20, 2026

  M&A Predictions and Guidance for 2026

  Ethan Klingsberg of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP lays out M&A predictions and guidance for 2026.

  • Main announcement (2026 M&A outlook): Klingsberg predicts a shift in M&A dynamics in 2026 driven by antitrust uncertainty (DOJ/FTC politics, state antitrust reviews, and Congressional hearings), the data center boom (noting the 2025 build-out’s contribution to U.S. GDP growth) as a short-lived but powerful M&A driver, and increased deal complexity around regulatory risk allocations (higher reverse termination fees, extended outside dates).
  • Background and supporting details: He highlights Delaware jurisprudence developments (including Tornetta v Musk and Chancery Court practice), potential DExit momentum toward Nevada/Texas incorporation but investor pushback, standardization of M&A agreements (via AI tools and fixed fees), and a resurgence of private equity M&A led by Middle Eastern funds in 2026.
• Jan 20, 2026

  Year in Review: Law firm Troutman Pepper Locke on FEOC and the ‘privileged status’ of battery storage

  Troutman Pepper Locke partner Vaughn Morrison reflects on 2025 and outlines priorities for 2026.

  • Main announcement: Morrison says the industry should focus on cementing its relatively privileged position in energy policy in 2026 by onshoring production, technology, and capital structure, and by enhancing cybersecurity protections and fire safety; he highlights FEOC guidance from the Treasury expected in 2026, potential queue reform in PJM, and FERC directives on large load customers as near-term developments to watch.
  • Background and details: The article notes the One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) curtailed the storage ITC runway and introduced FEOC restrictions, while storage still “emerged from OBBBA as a relative winner”; it also flags ongoing trade uncertainty, the role of data centres in driving electricity load growth, and the Energy Storage Summit USA on 24-25 March 2026 in Dallas, TX (with ESN Premium subscriber discounts).
• Jan 20, 2026

  Recent compute infrastructure investments signal Big Tech’s AI priorities for 2026

  Yash Mehta (author) argues that Big Tech companies and governments are expanding compute infrastructure to meet rising AI demand, citing multiple announced investments.

  • Main announcement/action: The article catalogs concrete investment commitments by major tech firms: Meta Platforms — $72 billion (2026); Microsoft — $17.4 billion GPU capacity deal with the Nebius Group; OpenAI & Nvidia — $100 billion agreement (noted as part of $1 trillion in AI infrastructure deals OpenAI has signed); Alibaba — at least $52 billion over the next three years; Google — $40 billion for three new data centers through 2027; Amazon — up to $50 billion to expand AI and supercomputing capabilities; and a cited study projecting $1.1 trillion in data-center capex by 2029.
  • Background and implementation details: The piece references analyst forecasts and technology trends driving those investments: Morgan Stanley (data-center capacity must grow six-fold by 2035), McKinsey (data-center demand could almost triple by 2030), Deloitte (up to 75% of companies may invest in agentic AI in 2026 and inference could be two-thirds of AI compute by 2026), Cisco forecasts 56% of customer service handled by agentic AI by end of 2026; it also notes partnerships and product moves such as the AWS–Decart full-stack AI video platform. Timelines are included where stated (Meta: 2026; Alibaba: next three years; Google: through 2027).
• Jan 20, 2026

  The Evolution of the Commercial & Industrial Microgrid in the Era of the Data Center

  Elisa Wood reports: Commercial and industrial customers are increasingly adopting bridge power and microgrids as data centers strain grid capacity.

  • Main announcement: Elisa Wood reports that C&I customers are deploying bridge power and microgrids to maintain operations while awaiting utility interconnection; utilities have already committed 64 GW of new data center capacity, and ICF International forecasts US power demand to grow 25% by 2030 and 78% by 2050. The article cites typical interconnection lead times of 2–5 years for ~20 MW and that onsite systems can achieve a 6–8 year return on investment when used as backup and for grid services.
  • Background and details: The piece notes rising electricity costs (EIA: average +5.8% Aug 2024–Aug 2025; DC +26.5%), PJM capacity auctions posted record-high prices, and that onsite natural-gas generation (grid-connected) offers better economics/reliability than diesel per a National Laboratory of the Rockies study; microgrids also help reduce demand charges and yield “hundreds of thousands of dollars” in savings for some large users.
• Jan 19, 2026

  Constellation Completes Acquisition of Calpine; Groups Have 55 GW of Generation Capacity

  Constellation has completed its acquisition of Calpine Corp. from Energy Capital Partners (ECP).

  • Transaction completed: Constellation completed the announced cash-and-stock acquisition of Calpine (initially announced as a $16.4-billion deal a year earlier); the transaction has a total value of $26.6 billion including debt, and the combined company will have 55 GW of generation capacity and serve 2.5 million retail and business customers. The merged company will maintain headquarters in Baltimore, Maryland, with a significant presence in Houston, Texas, and will supply power to data centers, advanced manufacturing, and critical infrastructure.
  • Regulatory settlement and divestitures: To resolve U.S. antitrust concerns the DOJ Antitrust Division and the Texas Attorney General required the divestiture of six power plants (four serving PJM and two serving ERCOT): Bethlehem Energy Center; York Energy Center (York 1 and York 2); Hay Road Energy Center; Edge Moor Energy Center; Jack A. Fusco Energy Center; Gregory Power Plant. The DOJ filed a proposed consent decree (the Division’s first electricity-merger consent decree in 14 years) to address competition concerns in ERCOT and PJM.
• Jan 17, 2026

  White House and Governors Pressure Grid Operator to Boost Power, Slow Electricity Hikes

  The White House and 13 governors urged PJM Interconnection to hold a power auction requiring tech companies to bid on 15-year contracts so data centers pay for new generation capacity.

  • Main announcement: The White House, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Energy Secretary Chris Wright, joined by 13 governors, called on PJM to run an auction for 15-year power contracts that would have data center operators (not regular consumers) finance new power plants; they also asked PJM to extend a wholesale payment cap that currently limits increases through mid-2028.
  • Background and details: PJM was not invited to the event and said it will review recommendations; later PJM issued its own plan proposing a formula to cut power to large grid users (including data centers) during emergencies and to fast-track interconnection of new plants. The mid-Atlantic grid covers parts/all of 13 states (New Jersey to Illinois) and Washington, D.C., and analysts say ratepayers are already paying billions more to underwrite power supplies for some data centers (no specific dollar amounts provided in this article).
• Jan 16, 2026

  With All Eyes on AI, Data Centers Are Commercial Real Estate’s Jewel for 2026

  The article reports that the data center sector is entering an unprecedented growth phase.

  • Record leasing activity and sustained hyperscaler demand are driving the market; the piece notes first-quarter 2026 deployments are already underway, highlights emerging demand from “neo-clouds”, and cites historic leasing/absorption across major US and European markets (Atlanta; Dallas–Fort Worth; Milan; Frankfurt; Paris).
  • The article is an analytical market summary referencing recent earnings call commentary and market reports, and it identifies power access as the primary constraint (fast-growth markets vs. grid/permitting-constrained markets such as London, Northern Virginia, Amsterdam, Dublin); it also cites financial metrics of stabilized NOI >10% and development profit margins >50%. This is commentary/analysis rather than a first-time corporate announcement.
• Jan 16, 2026

  Episode for January 16, 2026

  Meta reaches agreement to buy electricity from the Beaver Valley nuclear plant to fuel its AI data centers.

  • Main announcement: Meta has reached an agreement to purchase electricity from the Beaver Valley nuclear power plant in western Pennsylvania to help power its AI/data center operations; nuclear is presented in the story as a zero-carbon generation source being used to meet rising electricity demand from AI.
  • Other details and background: The episode also reports the Trump administration is taking actions that make expanding renewable energy more difficult; an Ohio commission approved a permit/lease allowing a Texas-based company to frack the Leesville Wildlife Area; Penn State will move forest and wildlife programs from Mont Alto and DuBois to Penn State Altoona in 2027; and State Sen. Gene Yaw was elected chair of the Chesapeake Bay Commission.