Meta commits to Texas data center standards
Texas Governor Greg Abbott released new statewide standards for data center construction, which Meta has agreed to comply with for its El Paso data center. These standards address concerns about electricity costs and water usage. However, local residents and officials remain skeptical about the enforceability and long-term impact of these promises.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott recently released new statewide standards for data center construction. Tech giant Meta has announced its commitment to these requirements for its ongoing data center project in Northeast El Paso.
El Paso Water and El Paso Electric, along with the City of El Paso, stated that these new standards align with their existing advocacy for responsible data center development. However, community members, including District 2 City Representative Josh Acevedo, expressed skepticism about the enforceability of Meta's promises, which include lower residential electric bills, noise reduction, and water-efficient technology.
Governor Abbott's directives require data centers to cover their own electric infrastructure costs, preventing residents from footing the bill. While El Paso Electric confirmed that new customers like Meta are mandated to pay for project-related costs, community organizer Veronica Carbajal raised concerns about the future cost transfer of the proposed McCloud Natural Gas Power Plant, which Meta intends to fund for a maximum of five years before potential transfer to El Pasoans. El Paso Electric denies any automatic cost shifting.
El Paso Water confirmed Meta's agreement to 2023 water-use requirements designed to protect community resources. The Public Utility Commission (PUC) still needs to finalize specific binding requirements for large data centers not connected to the main Texas grid, a category that includes El Paso. Local officials and residents emphasize the need for legally binding agreements for any meaningful impact.