County asking for public meeting on proposed power plant
Bastrop County commissioners approved a resolution asking the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to hold a public meeting on Pacifico Energy's proposed 1,300-megawatt natural gas power plant in Cedar Creek, which would support nearby data center development. Residents and officials are seeking more information about the project's effects on the power grid, water supplies and surrounding communities, while a statewide halt on data center permits remains in effect during an electricity and water review.
The Bastrop County Commissioners Court approved a resolution requesting that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality hold a local public meeting on Pacifico Energy's proposed natural gas-fired power plant in Cedar Creek. The 1,300-megawatt facility is intended to provide electricity for data center and other industrial development, but the county has limited authority because Texas counties lack general zoning powers over large industrial projects.
Commissioners and residents are seeking greater transparency about potential impacts on electricity, water, air quality and noise. Commissioner Clara Beckett said the county has little ability to stop the project if permits comply with state requirements, while residents including Mary Santana and Cameron Allen criticized limited communication and urged stronger action. The request follows Gov. Greg Abbott's Sept. 21 directive halting data center permits while the Electric Reliability Council of Texas and Texas Water Development Board review the sector's power and water demands.