Texas Data Center Intel

Recent Texas 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

  Power Drives the AI Data Center Boom, but Connectivity Cannot be Overlooked

  An analysis argues that data center operators must prioritize power and optical connectivity for AI.

  • Main point: The piece highlights power and optical connectivity as essential prerequisites for AI, citing Omdia’s forecast that global IT load power capacity will reach 314 GW by 2030 and noting the emergence of the “scale across“ concept (coined in 2025 by Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang) which requires 800 Gbps+, low-latency optical links to operate multi-site AI clusters and gigawatt-scale training campuses.
  • Background/details: The article is commentary/analysis (not a formal project announcement). It documents current industry pressures: typical large colocation sites support 50–100 MW, hyperscaler clusters are being planned at gigawatt scale, regional power supply wait times of 2–5 years, and a shift toward remote rural builds (examples: Lancaster PA; Memphis; Columbus, Ohio; rural Georgia; New Mexico; Wyoming) that require long-haul fiber links sometimes up to ~1,000 km. It references trade shows and forums including Metro Connect (Florida), Nvidia’s GTC, OFC, and the Optica Executive Forum.
• May 6, 2026

  Corning to Build Three New Manufacturing Plants After $500 Million NVIDIA Investment

  Corning announced it will build three new U.S. fiber manufacturing facilities as part of a financing and strategic deal with NVIDIA.

  • Deal terms & production impact: NVIDIA invested $500 million in Corning and secured rights to buy $2.7 billion more in Corning stock; Corning said the three new plants (in North Carolina and Texas) will boost domestic fiber production capacity by more than 50%, increase optical manufacturing by 10x, and employ more than 3,000 people.
  • Context & related commitments: The article references a Meta deal worth up to $6 billion (first facility from that deal broke ground March 31), the $42.45 billion BEAD program (which mandates U.S.-made fiber), and industry statements committing capacity to the Commerce Department and meeting Build America, Buy America (BABA) requirements; Corning also raised guidance to $20 billion in annual sales by end-2026 and $35 billion by end-2030.
• May 6, 2026

  Climate Change Solutions - May 5, 2026

  EESI will host a briefing with American Rivers on May 7 about U.S. water infrastructure challenges and solutions.

  • Briefing with American Rivers on May 7: EESI and American Rivers will hold a briefing titled Policies and Financing Solutions to Modernize U.S. Water Infrastructure on Thursday, May 7, 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m., at the Rayburn House Office Building Gold Room (Room 2168) and online; agenda includes U.S. water infrastructure challenges, solutions to close the investment gap, and discussion of the January 2026 Potomac River sewer collapse that discharged 200 million gallons of raw sewage.

    • Location: Rayburn House Office Building Gold Room (Room 2168)
    • Time & Date: Thursday, May 7, 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
    • RSVP: https://www.eesi.org/briefings/view/050726water#rsvp

  • Newsletter content and related items: The issue highlights articles on data center waste heat reuse, PFAS (“forever chemicals”) in data center components, a breakdown of 65 climate, energy, and environment hearings on the Hill from March–April 2026, and a podcast interview about environmental justice research in Accra, Ghana. It also notes internship applications open until May 17, 2026, and links to legislative actions such as the enactment of the Homeland Security and Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act of 2026 (H.R.7147) and passage of bills including the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 (H.R.7567).

• May 6, 2026

  Data Center Jobs: Engineering, Construction, Commissioning, Sales, Field Service and Facility Tech Jobs Available in Major Data Center Hotspots

  Data Center Frontier, in partnership with Pkaza, has posted the latest data center job listings on its jobs board.

  • Monthly job roundup: The post lists multiple open roles including Power Applications Engineer, Electrical Commissioning Engineer, Power Systems Sales Implementation Engineer, Architect Design Manager (CSA), Electrical Project Manager, Commissioning Project Manager, MEP Superintendent, Director of Data Center Facility Operations, Project Executive (Owner’s Rep), EHS Director, Mechanical Commissioning Lead, Mechanical Controls Engineer, Director of Project Deliverables, and Senior Electrical Engineer across numerous U.S. locations (examples: Pittsburgh, PA; New Albany, OH; Raleigh, NC; Dallas, TX; Charlotte, NC; Chesterton, IN; Denver, CO; New York, NY; Totowa, NJ), with many roles offering remote or multi-city travel options.
  • Client and role context: Positions are with mission-critical data center developers, engineering design and commissioning firms, electrical contracting firms, general contractors, and digital infrastructure firms; job descriptions emphasize reliability, energy efficiency, sustainable design, and LEED expertise, and note career-growth opportunities, competitive salaries and benefits. Many listings reference travel requirements and alternative available locations for implementation timelines (immediate hiring/use by clients), but no specific salary or funding amounts are disclosed.
• 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 5, 2026

  Reframing Large Load Growth: From Grid Strain to Grid Security Asset

  T&DWorld published an article reframing rapid large-load growth from AI data centers, advanced manufacturing, and electrification as a potential grid-supporting asset rather than solely a source of strain.

  • Main announcement/action: The article advocates for strategically deploying dispatchable, load-centered generation (onsite or near-site) to reduce dependence on firm transmission capacity, defer infrastructure investments, and provide peaking capacity and essential grid services (frequency response, voltage support). It cites examples in ERCOT and PJM to illustrate these benefits.
  • Background and details: Utilities are managing aging infrastructure, renewable integration, labor shortages, supply chain constraints, and rising capital costs, which increase pressure on rates; the piece contrasts dispatchable natural gas generation with traditional diesel backup and emphasizes using flexible onsite generation to address reserve margin pressure, renewable intermittency, transmission congestion, and interconnection delays.
• May 5, 2026

  Commercial electricity sales have soared in Virginia, driven by data centers

  The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reports that commercial electricity sales in Virginia increased by nearly 30.0 million megawatthours (MWh) between 2019 and 2025, driven largely by a concentration of data centers.

  • Main announcement: EIA reports commercial electricity sales in Virginia rose by nearly 30.0 million MWh (2019–2025); summer peak load in PJM’s Dominion zone was 23,905 MW in 2025 (23% higher than 2019) and winter peak was 25,413 MW in the 2025–26 winter season (45% higher than 2019–20). The report attributes growth primarily to a concentration of data centers, plus electric vehicle adoption and building electrification.
  • Background and details:PJM expects the Dominion zone to experience the largest absolute increase in summer peak demand during 2026–2030, projecting average summer peak growth of 5.4% per year over the next 10 years (a downward revision from 6.3% in the 2025 forecast). The article references operational responses such as demand response programs, energy storage, interconnection capacity updates, and improved data center load forecasting to manage peak demand.
• May 5, 2026 · RMI

  Unpacking the PJM CIFP Decision: What PJM States Can Do to Ensure Affordable, Reliable Electricity During the Data Center Boom

  The PJM Board announced a plan on January 16, 2026 to address challenges from surging large electricity customers and called for state engagement on implementation of the CIFP-LLA framework.

  • Main action: PJM released a CIFP-LLA plan proposing revised regional load forecasting, voluntary Bring-Your-Own-New-Generation (BYONG) options, a “connect and manage” curtailment approach, and a new “reliability backstop” capacity auction; the plan targets management of rapid data center-driven load growth (PJM region: 13 states + DC, projected ~30 GW new demand by 2030) and establishes an Expedited Interconnection Track (EIT) for 10 qualifying BYONG projects annually with a 250 MW UCAP threshold noted.
  • Context and next steps: This RMI analysis provides state-focused guidance (regulatory and legislative) for large load tariffs, non-firm service and BYO tariffs, permitting reforms, VPPs and ATTs, and participation in PJM’s upcoming Reliability Backstop Procurement (RBP) workshops tied to the 2027/2028 auction; it is an advisory/analysis piece rather than a primary regulatory order and references federal bodies such as FERC and the White House Energy Dominance Council for related jurisdictional developments.
• May 5, 2026

  New Data Center Developments: May 2026

  Data Center Knowledge published a monthly roundup highlighting global data center project announcements, regulatory moves, and investment commitments driven by hyperscale AI demand.

  • Main announcement: The roundup catalogs multiple concrete project actions including Aligned Data Centers’ Project Caprock (540 MW, 313-acre campus in Hale County, Texas; initial delivery Q1 2027), EdgeCore’s completion of $1.5 billion in financing for two Northern Virginia hyperscale centers, and Yondr Group energizing a 27 MW Toronto facility expected in mid-2026. It also notes major investment commitments such as Digital Realty’s near S$7 billion Singapore plan (S$4.3 billion for new data centers) and AWS increasing planned investment in Mississippi to $25 billion.
  • Context and details: The piece outlines parallel regulatory updates in U.S. states (Maine vetoed a moratorium; Wisconsin revised We Energies tariff rules; North Carolina advanced legislation to require hyperscalers to cover infrastructure costs), workforce and partnership initiatives (Equinix Foundation with ODATA, Cisco, Vertiv launching training in Brazil, cohorts mid-2026), and other regional projects and financings (TikTok €1 billion Finland site; Ark Data Centres >€600 million Barcelona project; Equinix land purchases in South Africa totaling ZAR 890 million).