Amazon's Texas Power Plant Project Sparks Climate Concerns
AI-generated image · Bay Street Wire
A planned data center in Pecos County could house the most polluting power plant in the U.S. as AI demands strain corporate carbon goals.
Amazon is investing in a new power plant to support a data center in Pecos County, Texas, that could become the largest source of climate pollution in the United States, according to reporting from The New York Times via TechCrunch and The Verge.
The facility, known as GW Ranch, has received a permit from Texas to release up to 33 million tons of CO2 annually—a figure that exceeds the emissions of the largest coal plant in the country, per Cleanview. The plant would utilize 35 natural-gas turbines to generate 7.65 gigawatts of electricity. According to The Verge, the plant would initially operate independently of the state's power grid to deliver electricity to the data center.
This development comes as Amazon struggles to meet the Climate Pledge established by Jeff Bezos to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040. TechCrunch reports that Amazon's carbon emissions rose 16% last year, a trend driven by the energy requirements of AI.
Amazon spokesperson Margaret Callahan told The New York Times that while "the world looks different now than when we co-founded the climate pledge," the company's commitment remains unchanged. In a statement to The Verge, Callahan noted that the on-site generation is designed to avoid raising electricity costs for Texas families and will eventually transition to grid-connected service. She added that Amazon is exploring on-site battery storage and solar energy, and plans to use non-potable water to avoid stressing the local watershed.