Natural Gas Plant Proposed to Power Meta Data Center in Northeast El Paso
El Paso Electric’s proposed $550 million, 366-megawatt natural gas plant has cleared a major regulatory hurdle and would primarily supply a new Meta data center in El Paso County. Administrative judges recommended approval only if El Paso Electric guarantees that the plant’s costs will not be shifted to other customers.
El Paso Electric is seeking approval to build the $550 million McCloud natural gas facility, a 366-megawatt plant intended mainly to serve a new Meta data center in El Paso County. The data center is being developed by Worldwide LLC, which El Paso Electric says will cover the plant’s costs.
State administrative judges recommended approving the project with a condition that El Paso Electric ensure other utility customers are not charged for the facility. Regulators and consumer groups have raised concerns that the plant’s expenses could otherwise be shifted to the broader customer base.