Natural Gas-Powered Data Center Planned for West Texas

News Clip0:40Texas Scorecard·Abilene, Jones County, TX·8/5/2026

PowerPlay AI and Sharon AI have announced plans for a 400-megawatt natural gas-powered AI data center in Abilene, Texas, with initial power delivery targeted for 2028. This development follows Governor Greg Abbott's directive for state regulators to audit data centers requesting grid interconnection, though this project intends to rely on its own power.

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Gov: Governor Greg Abbott, State Regulators

PowerPlay AI and Sharon AI have jointly announced plans to construct a 400-megawatt natural gas-powered AI data center in Abilene, Texas. The companies anticipate the project will begin delivering its own power by 2028.

This data center is designed to operate independently using its own natural gas power source, rather than connecting to the state's power grid. The announcement follows a recent directive from Governor Greg Abbott, who instructed state regulators to audit all data centers currently seeking grid interconnection before approving any new projects.