Proposed Fort Bliss data center could use more power than all of El Paso

The U.S. Army is planning a massive 3-gigawatt data center at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas, aimed at supporting artificial intelligence for the Department of Defense. This facility, projected to be operational by late 2027, could eventually demand more electricity than El Paso Electric's entire system currently supplies, raising alarm about the region's power grid capacity. The Carlyle Group, a publicly-traded investment firm, is conditionally selected to build and operate the complex. Army officials, including Deputy Undersecretary David Fitzgerald, indicate an initial operating capacity of 100 megawatts by next year. The project is part of a national initiative to enhance military AI capabilities, with other similar facilities planned across the U.S. Significant concerns persist regarding the data center's environmental impact, particularly its immense electricity needs and water consumption. Natural gas turbines are cited as the most likely power source, which could generate substantial greenhouse gases. While the Army states the facility will be "water neutral," details on how it will replace the water it consumes from the Hueco Bolson aquifer, El Paso's primary water source, are unclear. Both El Paso Electric and El Paso Water report only preliminary discussions, with the Army yet to make formal service requests. Despite potential public pushback and the project's scale, the Army emphasizes its strategic priority for national defense, stating it's not asking if El Pasoans are "on board" but seeking common ground with city leaders. The Fort Bliss data center joins other major projects in the Borderland region, including Meta's $10 billion facility in El Paso and Oracle and OpenAI's $165 billion Project Jupiter in Santa Teresa, New Mexico, collectively transforming the area into a significant AI infrastructure hub.