Texas Data Center Intel

Recent Texas data center news

• Jan 10, 2026

  Environment and Rule of Law Under Trump

  The second Trump Administration has slashed environmental regulations and programs, rescinded environmental justice orders, curtailed climate reporting and grants, and moved to withdraw the U.S. from international climate agreements while seeking to repeal the EPA “endangerment finding.”

  • Administrative actions and rollbacks: The administration rescinded past environmental justice orders, stopped Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) grants, eliminated EPA’s environmental justice arm, relaxed air and water pollution limits, and proposed ending mandatory greenhouse gas reporting; it also announced withdrawal from IPCC processes and the UNFCCC (the treaty was ratified by the U.S. Senate in 1992 and went into effect in 1993). EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin is expected to issue a final decision repealing the endangerment finding “this month” (Jan 2026), which would trigger judicial review in the D.C. Circuit and likely further appeals to the Supreme Court.

  • Legal and project-specific details / background:States, environmental groups and courts are challenging many rollbacks; a NYU study alleges repeated DOJ misrepresentations to courts, and the Supreme Court’s conservative majority has intervened earlier in cases; the administration has stopped five major offshore wind farms (one — the Revolution Farm off Rhode Island — was reported ~80% complete and a court ordered it allowed to finish), halted solar development on public lands, and opened the Alaska wildlife refuge to oil and gas development. Courts, appeals panels with numerous Trump appointees, and Congressional dynamics are central to implementation timelines.

• Jan 9, 2026

  EPA Launches Clean Air Act Resource Hub for Data Center Developers

  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) launched a consolidated Clean Air Act resource page for data center developers on December 11, 2025.

  • Main announcement: The EPA Office of Air and Radiation published a consolidated resource page for data center developers that centralizes Permitting Guidance (PTE calculations for emergency generators, aggregation/adjacency interpretations, and “Begin Actual Construction” interpretations), Applicable Standards (NSPS, NESHAP, Title V requirements), and Technical Tools (air dispersion modeling guidance, checklists, particulate testing). The resource is targeted at data center developers, independent power producers, and investors and advises early coordination with EPA and state permitting authorities to address aggregation and PTE limitation strategies.
  • Background and implementation details: The update accompanies NSR reforms including EPA’s September 2, 2025 reinterpretation allowing “core and shell” construction before NSR permit issuance (subject to limits on installing emissions units); EPA plans to propose a rule by January 2026 and issue a final rule by September 2026 to codify that interpretation. EPA also rescinded its reactivation policy on September 18, 2025, and the administration’s Unleashing American Energy executive order (Jan 29, 2025) directs agencies to “eliminate all delays” and prioritize expedited permitting (including authorities like the Army Corps of Engineers).
• Jan 9, 2026

  OpenAI, SoftBank Invest $1 Billion in Stargate Partner SB Energy

  OpenAI and SoftBank Group Corp. have jointly invested $1 billion in SB Energy to support data center development and operation.

  • Main announcement:OpenAI and SoftBank Group Corp. will each invest $500 million (total $1 billion) in SB Energy; OpenAI has selected SB Energy to build and operate a 1.2 GW data center in Milam County, Texas. The investment is to support SB Energy’s growth as a data center developer and operator.
  • Background and details: SB Energy, historically a renewable and storage developer, expanded into data center development; it raised $800 million last year from Ares Infrastructure Opportunities funds. The deal builds on OpenAI’s Stargate initiative (partners include SoftBank and Oracle Corp.) which aims to spend $500 billion on data centers and AI infrastructure in the US over four years.
• Jan 9, 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).

  • Main announcement: Constellation completed the acquisition of Calpine (transaction first announced a year earlier), creating a combined company with 55 GW of generation capacity, serving 2.5 million retail and business customers nationwide, and with a total transaction value of $26.6 billion including debt (originally announced as a $16.4 billion cash-and-stock deal). The merged company will power data centers, advanced manufacturing, and critical infrastructure and will maintain headquarters in Baltimore with a significant presence in Houston.
  • Background and details: The deal was closed and announced on January 7; the combination joins Constellation’s nuclear fleet with Calpine’s natural gas-fired and geothermal assets. The transaction strengthens footprints in Texas and California while maintaining operations in Illinois, Maryland, New York, and Pennsylvania; Energy Capital Partners emphasized its role as seller and long-term investor.
• Jan 9, 2026

  Vistra and Meta Announce Agreements to Support Nuclear Plants in PJM and Add New Nuclear Generation to the Grid

  Vistra announced 20-year power purchase agreements (PPAs) with Meta to supply 2,609 MW of zero-carbon nuclear energy in the PJM region to support Meta operations.

  • Main announcement: Vistra will provide 2,609 MW total (comprised of 2,176 MW operating generation and 433 MW incremental uprates) under 20-year PPAs with Meta; Meta’s purchases begin late 2026 with the full 2,609 MW online by 2034, and electricity will be delivered to the grid for all users.
  • Background and implementation details: Vistra’s agreements cover uprates at Perry (OH), Davis-Besse (OH), and Beaver Valley (PA); Vistra will pursue subsequent 20-year license renewals for each reactor; plant capacities and local details: Perry 1,268 MW (~600 full-time jobs), Davis-Besse 908 MW (~600 full-time jobs), Beaver Valley 1,872 MW (~750 full-time jobs); uprate projects span ~9 years and are expected to support ~3,000 project-related jobs and contribute tens of millions of dollars in state and local taxes annually.
• Jan 9, 2026

  Environmental AI Governance: U.S. and China Have Different Roads to developing Green AI Systems

  Jianyin Roachell argues that the United States and China are pursuing divergent approaches to govern AI’s environmental footprint: the U.S. relies on bottom-up, market and state-level measures, while China uses top-down national planning such as EWCRT and mandates for renewable energy in data centers.

  • Main announcement/action: The article contrasts U.S. decentralized, market-driven responses with China’s top-down EWCRT (East-West Computing Resources Transmission) strategy that directs new data centers to western provinces (Sichuan, Inner Mongolia, Gansu, Ningxia) to leverage cooler climates and abundant wind/solar; China projects data centers could consume 400 TWh annually (~3.2% of electricity) and the NDRC issued guidelines in March 2025 requiring increased renewable electricity shares for big data hubs. The piece cites concrete projects and deals: Meta’s 20-year PPA for a 1.1 GW nuclear plant in Illinois, local proposals for gas-fired plants by Entergy to power Meta, and the $226 million Lin-gang underwater data center project in Shanghai combining renewables and deep-sea cooling.
  • Background and other details: The U.S. relies on state tax exemptions (as many as 42 states) and state-level rules (e.g., Virginia 2024 PUE bill; Oregon 2025 water reporting), plus third-party verification like LEED; grassroots protests and state regulatory drafts (Texas, California, Michigan, Minnesota) are shaping policy. Research cited estimates the East-West Data Project could reduce 11,500 Mt CO2 between 2020 and 2050, but China’s grid remains ~60% coal, posing a continued emissions risk unless renewables scale faster.
• Jan 9, 2026

  Year in Review: Sodium-ion startup Alsym on supply chains, safety and scale

  Alsym emphasised its non‑flammable sodium‑ion products (NFPP+ Series) and scaling strategy, after closing a US$78 million Series C.

  • Main announcement/action: Alsym CEO Mukesh Chatter positioned the company’s non‑flammable sodium‑ion products (Na‑Series and NFPP+ Series) as safety‑focused alternatives for urban and critical‑load siting, noting the company closed a US$78 million Series C and that its cells are compatible with existing lithium‑ion manufacturing to accelerate deployment and reduce capital risk. The company cites use of abundant domestic materials (sodium, iron) to stabilise supply chains and target applications including data centres, electrification, and renewable energy.

  • Background and implementation details: The interview frames the move as a response to safety incidents (eg, Moss Landing) and tighter permitting; Alsym argues non‑flammability will become a baseline regulatory requirement near sensitive sites. Key supporting details:

    • Event: Energy Storage Summit USA, 24-25 March 2026, Dallas, TX
    • Agenda highlights: FEOC challenges, power demand forecasting, managing the BESS supply chain
    • Links and prior actions: Alsym previously launched a “non-flammable, non-toxic, and cost-effective” Na‑Series and emphasises supply chain independence from Chinese imports.
• Jan 9, 2026

  CES2026: Quantum Computing Leaders Map Next Phase in AI Age

  A CES panel of industry and government representatives outlined a roadmap emphasizing hybrid quantum-classical systems, international research ties, workforce development, supply-chain coordination, and near-term engineering and policy constraints.

  • Main announcement and roadmap details: Panelists from Dell Technologies, Amazon Web Services, the Quantum Economic Development Consortium, and the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade said progress requires coordination across infrastructure, workforce, supply chains, and public policy; referenced near-term target years 2028, 2030, and DARPA’s goal of useful quantum computing by 2033.

    • Event: CES panel in Las Vegas, Jan. 8, 2026; subject: quantum computing roadmap, hybrid systems, policy and engineering constraints; participants discussed hardware R&D, post-quantum security, and international collaboration.

  • Background, funding, and concrete commitments: The Department of Energy has committed $625 million over five years to support quantum information science research centers; Colorado committed $44 million in tax credits and a loan-loss reserve program for early-stage quantum companies; Colorado signed government-to-government agreements with the United Kingdom and Finland; AWS noted hardware R&D in Pasadena, California and an internal post-quantum security team; panelists highlighted narrow, internationally distributed supply chains (cryogenics, refrigeration components).

• Jan 8, 2026

  Wyoming Approves Data Center Campus that Includes 2.7 GW of New Natural Gas-Fired Generation

  Laramie County commissioners unanimously approved Project Jade (an AI data center campus proposed by Crusoe Energy Systems) and the BFC Power and Cheyenne Power Hub (including 2.7 GW of new natural gas-fired generation being developed by Tallgrass Energy).

  • Project approval and scope: The county approved Project Jade on 600 acres (five data center buildings, two support buildings, associated infrastructure) and the BFC Power / Cheyenne Power Hub on 659 acres (two gas-fired power plants). Tallgrass says the energy infrastructure represents a $7-billion investment and Raymon Williams (Tallgrass project director) estimates total campus capex > $50 billion. The development will use a “bring your own power” model, include Bloom Energy fuel cells alongside natural gas generation, and could eventually scale to 10 GW with additional generation resources.
  • Implementation details and timeline: Construction is expected to begin soon, could employ as many as 5,000 workers, and first buildings could be operational by mid-2027. Developers plan deep aquifer wells for drinking-water protection and closed-loop cooling to reduce water consumption. Local concerns (water contamination, landscape impacts) were noted; Wyoming leadership including Gov. Mark Gordon and county officials have publicly supported the projects, citing national-security considerations.
• Jan 8, 2026 · IT Brief Asia

  AI supercharge drives USD $3 trillion data centre boom

  JLL has released forecasts projecting up to USD $3 trillion of investment and significant capacity growth in the global data centre industry over the next five years.

  • Main announcement: JLL forecasts installed global data centre capacity to increase from 103GW in 2024 to 200GW by 2030, with up to USD $3 trillion of investment over the next five years; the report estimates USD $1.2 trillion of new real estate asset value and USD $870 billion of new debt financing, and states hyperscalers are allocating $1 trillion for data centre spend between 2024 and 2026. The firm also forecasts AI workloads to reach 50% of capacity by 2030, lease rates growing at a 5% CAGR through 2030, global occupancy at 97%, and 77% of the construction pipeline already committed.
  • Background and details: JLL highlights supply constraints (average equipment lead times 33 weeks, ~50% longer than pre-2020) and grid connection delays (lead times exceeding four years in primary locations), reports that more than half of projects scheduled for 2025 faced delays ≥ three months, expects modular systems annual sales of USD $48 billion by 2030, identifies an $8 billion CapEx sovereign infrastructure opportunity by 2030, and tracks >USD $300 billion of data centre M&A since 2020 with potential USD $50 billion in core fund capital formation and USD $50 billion ABS/CMBS issuance by 2026.