Concerns over greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution have led to public pushback regarding some if not many of the 32 proposed natural gas power plants that would be built to deliver electricity to artificial intelligence data centers throughout the state of Texas.
According to a report released July 1, by a watchdog group known as the Environmental Integrity Project (EIP), those projects account for 43% of the 74 such proposals across the country. That’s the most of any state.
Collectively, the 32 Texas gas powered plants would emit more than 287 million tons of greenhouse gases each year. As KERA News reports, along with those emissions would come thousands of tons of particulate matter, nitrogen oxides and other pollutants linked to respiratory illness.
EIP Executive Director Jen Duggan insists there’s a better, cleaner way forward. "Where data centers are built, they should be powered by clean energy, including solar farms and wind turbines with ample battery storage systems for when weather conditions are poor. They should not be powered with dirty gas or coal."
The report calls for more public oversight and renewable energy sources as projects move through the permitting process. That’s the current status of the proposed data center being considered that would occupy more than 1,000 acres at the former Southland/Abitibi Paper Mill site just outside of Lufkin, Texas.
That’s according to a fact sheet created by the city of Lufkin, which provides many of the details on potential water use, information on the Denver Developer AmpZ (Amp Z Champion Data Center Holdings), and a host of commonly asked questions. Facts include:
- Current estimates include 30 permanent, full-time jobs once the facility is operational with 500 construction jobs over the first several years.
- The developer has indicated the facility is being designed with a closed-loop cooling system to minimize water usage. Estimated treated water consumption is 500 gallons per day, which is roughly equivalent to 3 residential homes.
- Due to its large valuation, the project has the potential to positively impact the county tax base. Being outside of the city limits the City of Lufkin will not receive sales or property tax revenue directly from the development.
The EIP report also states that the site would be home to the natural gas-fired 600 megawatt (MW) Verdant Power Plant, which would emit just under 3.5 million tons of greenhouse gases annually.
