Texas Freezes All New Data Center Grid Approvals Pending Mandatory Audits; 90% of Interconnection Requests Are Data Centers

The Texas Tribune·high signalXBlueskyLinkedInCopy link

Governor Greg Abbott on August 3 directed the Public Utility Commission of Texas and ERCOT to halt approvals for new data centers until each project passes an audit disclosing tax incentives received, power draw, water consumption, and community-impact mitigation. Abbott said roughly 90% of new power requests in ERCOT's interconnection queue are data centers, and ERCOT will postpone its in-progress 'batch zero' transmission planning study. No end date was given — the state most permissive toward AI buildout just became a scheduling risk for every hyperscaler with Texas capacity on the roadmap.