Project Jupiter data center seeks air permits for two Santa Teresa microgrid facilities

Project Jupiter, a highly anticipated and controversial data center development in Santa Teresa, New Mexico, is currently seeking air-quality permits for its on-site microgrid facilities. The applications, submitted by Trinity Consultants on behalf of Acoma LLC, reveal plans for two distinct microgrid facilities, an East and West, which has ignited a debate over emissions regulation and the legality of the permitting strategy. Borderplex Digital, the developer behind the $165 billion Project Jupiter, had previously indicated a single microgrid. Matthew Gonzales, a project advocate and member of the Consumer Energy Alliance, defended the two-application approach, stating it adheres to New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) guidelines and state law. However, New Mexico attorney David Baake strongly disputes this, labeling the strategy as "wildly illegal" and an attempt to treat the connected facilities as separate power plants to circumvent stricter emission controls. Baake fears that if the two facilities operated continuously, they could emit 13.5 million tons of greenhouse gases annually, significantly more than major cities like Las Cruces or Albuquerque. The NMED is actively reviewing the applications and has yet to determine whether the two microgrid facilities should be consolidated under a single permit or proceed with separate permits. Construction on the microgrids is contingent upon permit approval. The debate highlights the ongoing tension between economic development and environmental concerns in the Borderland region.