Royse City town hall scheduled for Thursday on proposed Giga Energy data center
Giga Energy is proposing a new BT Gateway Data Center near Royse City, Texas, within Hunt County, focusing on artificial intelligence computing operations. The company will host a town hall meeting for the public to learn more about the project. Giga Energy has addressed environmental concerns regarding water use, noise, and visual impacts, and stated it will not seek tax abatements.
Houston-based Giga Energy is planning to develop the BT Gateway Data Center, an artificial intelligence computing facility, on a 30-acre site near Royse City, Texas, specifically within Hunt County. The company will host a town hall meeting on Thursday at Smoke Sessions BBQ in Royse City to inform the public about the proposed project. The agenda includes a presentation, a Q&A session, and individual stations for detailed inquiries.
Brent Whitehead, CEO and co-founder of Giga Energy, stated that the main building for the data center would span about two acres, with construction expected to take 12 months for a mid-2027 completion. The facility is designed to use a closed-loop water-and-glycol cooling system, which will eliminate evaporative water loss during operations. Electricity will be sourced from existing three-phase distribution lines, with Giga Energy covering any necessary grid infrastructure upgrades.
To mitigate community concerns, Giga Energy plans to install cooling equipment at ground level, construct a permanent sound wall, use temporary sound barriers during construction, and incorporate landscaping to reduce noise and visual impacts. The project is projected to create approximately 300 construction jobs and, once operational, between 20 to 24 full-time skilled technical positions with six-figure salaries. Giga Energy has confirmed it will not seek tax abatements or public subsidies, estimating the development will generate about $7.2 million annually in county property tax revenue.