Amazon is building a nearly 3,000-acre data center campus outside of Houston. What to know
Amazon is building a nearly 3,000-acre data center campus in Bowling, Wharton County, Texas. Residents are concerned about the project's impact on local water resources and the already unreliable electricity grid. Amazon claims it will fund its own electrical infrastructure and use backup power during emergencies.
Amazon Web Services is developing a massive 3,000-acre data center campus in Bowling, a small town in Wharton County, Texas, located about an hour outside of Houston. The $10 billion project is planned to include 10 data center buildings, each comparable in size to a Walmart Supercenter.
Residents have expressed serious concerns about the development's potential impact on their community. One resident voiced worries about their livelihood, specifically their goats, and the depletion of water resources by AWS. The resident also highlighted the existing issue of unreliable electricity in Lane City, fearing that such a large data center would further strain the grid and exacerbate power outages for local residents.
Amazon has stated that the project would not cause brownouts and committed to funding its own electrical infrastructure. The company also indicated it would use curtailment or backup power during grid emergencies. While many details about the development remain undisclosed, the Houston Chronicle investigated and uncovered new information regarding the project's water usage, a draft site plan, and estimated job numbers.