Taylor OKs data center and power plant campus amid resident opposition
Taylor City Council unanimously approved an agreement annexing a 660-acre data center and natural gas power plant campus developed by Big Watt Digital and PowerHouse Data Centers. The decision came despite months of organized resident opposition and includes reclaimed-water limits, setbacks, enforcement provisions and more than $28 million in promised community investments.
Taylor City Council unanimously approved an economic development agreement with Big Watt Digital LLC and PowerHouse Data Centers for the 660-acre Taylor Technology Campus, formerly known as Project Mustang. The project is planned to include 500 megawatts of data center capacity, with an option for another 500 megawatts, powered by an on-site natural gas plant rather than directly connected to the grid. Developers estimate the campus could generate billions of dollars in economic output and thousands of construction jobs.
Residents and the HALT Taylor Data Centers group opposed the project, citing concerns about Taylor’s rapid industrialization and the adequacy of community benefits. The agreement requires a one-time fill of 1.575 million gallons of reclaimed water for a closed-loop cooling system, establishes setbacks from nearby homes and allows the city to suspend or terminate the project for noncompliance. The approval follows broader statewide scrutiny of data centers, including Gov. Greg Abbott’s order pausing certain permitting activity while Texas officials review the industry.