Taylor City Council approves deal to clear the way for a nearby data center and power plant
The Taylor City Council unanimously approved an agreement to annex the 664-acre Taylor Technology Campus, a planned data center and on-site power plant being developed by Big Watt Digital and PowerHouse Data Centers. Residents objected to the project and the closed-door negotiations, while the agreement establishes city oversight of water use, noise and air quality and includes an estimated $28.2 million in community investments.
The Taylor City Council unanimously approved an agreement to annex the planned Taylor Technology Campus, a 664-acre data center and power plant development by Big Watt Digital and PowerHouse Data Centers located just outside the city in unincorporated Williamson County. City officials said annexation would give Taylor authority to regulate impacts including water use, noise and air quality. The developers also pledged an estimated $28.2 million in community investments, including more than $10 million for Taylor ISD and local students.
The decision followed opposition from residents who urged the council to delay or reject the agreement and criticized the lack of public input. Taylor's planning and zoning commission had previously delayed consideration of the developers' annexation and zoning application for 90 days while seeking more information and considering data center regulations; the developers later withdrew that application. Taylor ISD Superintendent Jennifer Garcia-Edwardsen supported the agreement, citing potential benefits for students and the community.