Duffy Solar event set in Bay City amid data center debate
Linea Energy is hosting a community event in Bay City, Texas, to discuss its 500-megawatt Duffy Solar project in Matagorda County. This project has drawn local attention due to its power purchase agreement with Google to support data center operations and the ongoing community debate over data center infrastructure and its impacts. Local opposition groups are active, citing concerns over land use, electricity demand, water resources, and rural communities.
Linea Energy is set to host a community lunch-and-learn event in Bay City, Texas, on June 29, to discuss its Duffy Solar project planned for Matagorda County. The 500-megawatt solar development, spanning approximately 3,500 acres, aims to generate enough electricity to power about 85,000 Texas homes annually, with construction slated to begin in late 2026 and commercial operations by late 2027.
The project has gained local prominence due to its connection with Google, which earlier this year announced a 15-year power purchase agreement for the solar energy. This power is intended to support Google's data center operations within the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) market, positioning the solar facility within a broader local discourse on large-scale energy and technology infrastructure.
Community members, particularly those associated with Matagorda County Against Data Centers (MAD), continue to voice concerns regarding the effects of data centers and related infrastructure on land use, electricity demand, water resources, and rural communities. MAD has been actively organizing, attending Commissioners Court and economic development meetings, and a petition has garnered 792 signatures. The debate has drawn bipartisan attention, with outgoing Republican Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller and Democratic nominee Clayton Tucker both speaking at a recent MAD event on data center impacts.
While supporters highlight benefits such as construction activity, tax revenue, and economic development, opponents argue these should be balanced against potential impacts on farmland and rural character. Google's Director of Energy and Power, Will Conkling, stated the agreement helps ensure an affordable energy system, and Linea Energy CEO Cassidy DeLine affirmed the partnership supports clean energy supply to major hyperscalers.