N.M. Project Jupiter data center developers announce new plans for generating power

Developers behind Project Jupiter, a massive data center campus under construction in Southern New Mexico for OpenAI and Oracle, have announced a significant change to their power generation strategy. BorderPlex Digital Assets, the project developer, along with Oracle, revealed plans to replace the previously proposed gas turbines and diesel generators with a microgrid powered by fuel cells from Bloom Energy. This strategic shift is intended to dramatically reduce water consumption and improve local air quality at the Doña Ana County site. The initial proposal for on-site gas plants faced considerable backlash due to projected greenhouse gas emissions exceeding 14 million tons per year, a figure that climate advocates found alarming. The new fuel cell microgrid is expected to reduce emissions by nearly 30% to 10 million tons annually. However, critics, including Kacey Hovden, a staff attorney at the New Mexico Environmental Law Center, expressed skepticism, questioning whether this revised plan truly represents a clean energy solution. Hovden is actively involved in litigation against Doña Ana County officials concerning Project Jupiter. Further legal action is also underway, with the New Mexico State Ethics Commission filing a lawsuit against an anonymous out-of-state group. This group is accused of violating the state's Lobbyist Regulation Act for running an extensive advertising campaign that urged New Mexicans to support the original gas plant proposal. Meanwhile, the New Mexico Environment Department, which had previously extended its deadline to decide on air quality permits for the gas plants, is now anticipating a new permit application for the fuel cell microgrid from the developers. Lanham Napier, Chair of BorderPlex Digital Assets, reiterated the project's commitment to establishing Doña Ana County as a Tier 1 industrial hub, fostering cleaner energy, job creation, and new investments in the region.