Gov. Abbott's data center audit is underway. Here's what ERCOT is asking.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has ordered an audit of over 400 data center projects, imposing a pause on new connections to the ERCOT grid. ERCOT has released a detailed community impact survey asking about energy and water usage, finances, and ownership. This audit could deter developers and lead to new regulations in the upcoming legislative session.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has ordered a comprehensive audit of over 400 data center projects, simultaneously pausing approvals for new, large data centers seeking to connect to the state's power grid. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) released a 250-question community impact survey on Friday, which developers must complete by October 12.
The survey delves into various aspects including facility details, financial assistance, power self-sufficiency, water sources and consumption, cooling technologies, community impact, and ownership. University of Houston Energy Fellow Ed Hirs criticized the survey as intrusive, particularly concerning financial and ownership questions, suggesting it might deter developers from building in Texas by signaling increased state regulation. ERCOT did not immediately comment on the criticisms.
The audit encompasses 247 large data centers (requesting 75+ MW) and 214 medium data centers (25-75 MW). Texas, which has the fastest-growing data center market, has seen requests for 474 gigawatts of electricity from its grid, 90% of which are from data centers. The audit also addresses water usage, following reports that developers previously failed to respond to state water usage surveys. Governor Abbott has directed the Texas Water Development Board to penalize non-responsive developers and assist with ERCOT's audit.
In addition to the survey, ERCOT and the Public Utility Commission of Texas are verifying