Hudspeth County Seeks Answers as $15B Data Center Is Planned Near Desert Haven
A $15 billion data center campus is planned on about 24,000 acres near Desert Haven in Hudspeth County, with construction potentially beginning in 2027. County officials say they received little advance information and are seeking assurances that the project will not harm local water users or strain electricity resources.
Kaufman & Company, with involvement from ServerDomes and other partners, is planning a 350-megawatt data center campus near Desert Haven in rural Hudspeth County. The project could create about 800 construction jobs and 200 to 300 permanent positions, but County Judge Joanna MacKenzie said local officials had limited information before organizers confirmed the plans. Project representatives acknowledged poor communication and agreed to present details at a public meeting scheduled for Oct. 27.
Water and power use are major concerns as the county evaluates the development. Planners told MacKenzie the campus would initially draw from an aquifer beneath the private property, then use water catchment and closed-loop systems, while county officials are seeking documentation that surrounding water users will not be affected. Because Texas counties lack municipal zoning authority, Hudspeth County has few formal tools to regulate the private-property project.