Temple continues data center development with new Rowan project
Rowan, the company behind Meta's data center, is seeking approval for its sixth and final data center project, "Project Lasso", in Temple, Texas. The project involves a land swap with the city for a landfill expansion and is navigating Governor Abbott's statewide moratorium on data centers due to power grid concerns. Plans will be presented at an upcoming planning and zoning hearing and then to the city council.
The city of Temple, Texas, is preparing for a new data center project just a month after Meta opened its facility in the area. Rowan, the developer responsible for the Meta data center, is pursuing approval for its sixth and final data center, dubbed "Project Lasso." This development encountered an initial hurdle involving the Temple City Landfill, which required expansion onto land already owned by Rowan. To facilitate this, Rowan engaged in a property swap with the City of Temple, which delayed the final building's approval process.
The project proceeds amid a statewide moratorium imposed by Governor Greg Abbott, which mandates that data centers demonstrate they will not overload the Texas power grid. Rowan's CEO stated that the company has already met these requirements and is committed to preventing an increase in residents' utility bills. The City of Temple, in a statement to KWTX, acknowledged residents' concerns but emphasized the importance of the city maintaining control over project development, resource utilization, and mitigating potential negative impacts, reiterating its commitment to evaluating these issues. Rowan's plans for the Lasso building are scheduled for presentation at a planning and zoning hearing this Monday, with a subsequent review by the City Council in September.