Amazon Texas Data Center Power Plant Could Become Nation's Worst Polluter
An Amazon-owned data center project in Pecos County, Texas, is drawing scrutiny over its plans to build a massive natural gas power plant that could become one of the country's worst polluters. The plant, known as GW Ranch, features 35 natural-gas turbines designed to generate 7.65 gigawatts of electricity primarily for the new data center. Rather than connecting to the state's power grid, the facility is largely dedicated to serving Amazon's growing computational needs.
According to Cleanview, an organization that tracks data center power projects, Texas regulators grant GW Ranch a permit allowing up to 33 million tons of CO2 emissions annually. That figure exceeds the output of even the largest coal-fired power plants in the United States. While power plants rarely emit at their maximum permitted levels, the sheer scale of the allowance raises serious environmental concerns.
The project highlights a broader trend among tech giants racing to expand AI infrastructure, often turning to fossil fuels to meet enormous energy demands. Amazon confirms it purchases the site and plans to buy power from the facility. As data center construction accelerates across the country, environmental advocates warn that the AI boom comes at a steep cost to climate goals.