Report: Texas to Lead Nation

Report shows Texas to lead nation in data center power plants

The Texas Tribune | July 1, 2026

Texas leads nation in proposed power plants for data centers, which would emit large amounts of greenhouse gases

Nearly half of the power plants planned to supply electricity for data centers would be in Texas. Experts warn they will emit significant pollution that could harm the health of communities nearby.

BY ALEJANDRA MARTINEZ

Texas is poised to lead the nation in power plants built to fuel data centers, according to a new report from an environmental watchdog group that warns the plants plan to emit tons of greenhouse gases and air pollution that will cause significant climate impacts and risks to human health. 

At least 74 natural gas-fired power plants that each would generate at least 100 megawatts of electricity are planned across the nation to supply electricity directly to data centers, with 32 of those projects located in Texas. That’s more than any other state, according to a new analysis from the Environmental Integrity Project. 

The power plants are planned for Comal, Anderson, Bexar, Pecos, Caldwell and many other Texas counties.

Those proposed Texas facilities could emit more than 287 million tons of greenhouse gases annually — equivalent to 61 million gasoline-powered cars driving for a year — according to Clean Air Act construction permit applications, draft permits and final permits for the data center power plants that EIP reviewed.

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