Black Mountain bought 2,000 acres near Weatherford. Here's what to know
Black Mountain has acquired over 2,000 acres in Parker County, Texas, near Weatherford, and secured state approval for natural gas turbines to power a potential data center. While Weatherford does not allow data centers within its limits, the acquired land sits outside city jurisdiction, where county zoning authority is limited. This development occurs amid ongoing community opposition to another Black Mountain data center project in Fort Worth.
Black Mountain, a Fort Worth energy consortium, has acquired over 2,000 acres in Parker County, Texas, just outside Weatherford. The company has secured state approval from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to operate five natural gas turbines on the property, intended as "backup/bridge power for a new data center." This land purchase, valued at over $57 million, involved acquisitions from DTB Investments LP and Advantage Opportunities LP. Black Mountain CEO Rhett Bennett confirmed the site is under evaluation for a potential data center development.
Weatherford city officials met with Black Mountain regarding annexation but ultimately decided against it, with the City Council later declining to add data centers to the city's zoning code, effectively not allowing them within city limits. However, the acquired land is outside Weatherford's jurisdiction, in Parker County, which has significantly less zoning authority, presenting a "wrinkle for rural landowners" who may lack typical local guardrails.
This development unfolds while Black Mountain faces significant community opposition for its proposed $10 billion AI data center in southeast Fort Worth. Despite Fort Worth having rezoned 431 acres for that project, residents like Sue Weston of Weston Gardens express concerns about environmental impacts and the economic benefits, challenging Bennett directly at community meetings. Records show Bennett made substantial political donations to Fort Worth City Council members and Governor Greg Abbott while seeking approvals.
The Texas House State Affairs Committee recently held a hearing on data centers, with developers like Skybox Datacenters discussing the industry's growth in the state. Public Utilities Commission Chairman Thomas Gleeson affirmed efforts to prevent data centers from increasing residential electricity bills, while Bennett stressed the urgency of connecting data centers to the ERCOT grid. Although the Parker County site has a turbine permit, formal data center development is not yet underway, with Black Mountain confirming it is still under evaluation alongside other potential sites.