Statewide · elected officials
State-level action on data centers
Directives, executive orders, bills, and regulatory rulings from Texas’s statewide officials and agencies — the Governor, the Legislature, the PUC, ERCOT, and others — on data centers, large-load power, battery storage, and crypto mining. Distinct from the 254-county tracker. Updated by the same weekly news sweep.
PUC sues to keep data center and crypto mine locations confidential
Public Utility Commission of Texas
The Public Utility Commission of Texas filed a lawsuit challenging rulings from Attorney General Ken Paxton's office that said location information about data centers and cryptocurrency mines must be released, arguing disclosure could aid attacks on critical infrastructure.
Texas Agency Tries To Keep Data Centers Hidden Over Terror Fears ↗Paxton launches investigation into data centers over water-use reporting compliance
Attorney General Ken Paxton
Attorney General Ken Paxton launched an investigation into hundreds of Texas data center developments, in counties including Harris and Travis, that failed to respond to the Texas Water Development Board's mandatory water-use survey.
Attorney General Paxton Launches Landmark Investigation into Hundreds of Data Center Developments in Texas ↗Abbott orders TCEQ to halt all data center permits pending audits
Governor Greg Abbott
Governor Greg Abbott directed the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to halt all permits sought by data centers until state agency audits are completed, the fourth such directive in four months.
Abbott orders a halt on all data center permits ↗Abbott orders TCEQ to halt all data center permits pending ERCOT grid audit
Governor Greg Abbott
Governor Greg Abbott ordered the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to halt all data center-related permits until ERCOT completes its audit of the data center interconnection waitlist, expanding his earlier August moratorium on new grid approvals.
Texas Gov. Abbott orders data center permit halt weeks after issuing moratorium ↗PUC adopts softened large-load interconnection rule with flat $100,000 study fee
Public Utility Commission of Texas
The Public Utility Commission of Texas voted to adopt new large-load interconnection standards for data centers, dropping a proposed per-megawatt interconnection fee in favor of a flat $100,000 study fee for all large-load customers.
Texas PUC adopts softened rules on data center interconnection ↗Paxton opens investigation into Taylor AI data center project
Attorney General Ken Paxton
Attorney General Ken Paxton said he is investigating the proposed development of an AI data center in Taylor over concerns the land was deeded decades ago for future use as parkland.
Texas AG is investigating proposed data center in Taylor ↗Abbott directs Texas Water Development Board to enforce data center water-use reporting
Governor Greg Abbott
Governor Greg Abbott directed the Texas Water Development Board to compel data centers and other major water users to comply with water-use reporting requirements and impose legal consequences for noncompliance.
Governor Abbott expands data center permitting pause to environmental permits pending ERCOT audit ↗Paxton rolls out plan for data center ‘guardrails’ amid Senate campaign
Attorney General Ken Paxton
Attorney General and U.S. Senate candidate Ken Paxton announced his own plan to add guardrails on data center growth amid rising voter concern over power and water costs.
Paxton's crusade against data centers ignores what makes Texas great ↗ERCOT targets December 10 completion of governor-ordered data center audit
Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT)
ERCOT officials said they intend to complete the audit of roughly 300 data center proposals of 75 MW or larger by Dec. 10, a necessary step for interconnections to resume under Gov. Abbott's directive.
ERCOT aims to complete Texas governor's data center audit by December ↗ERCOT pauses Batch Zero interconnection study to verify data center projects
Electric Reliability Council of Texas
ERCOT paused its Batch Zero classification and study activity for large computational loads and said it will not authorize data centers or crypto-mining facilities to energize until a verification and audit required by the Governor's directive is complete.
Texas Large Load Interconnection Update: ERCOT Batch Zero Pause and Verification Process ↗PUC and ERCOT detail scope of governor-ordered data center audit
Public Utility Commission of Texas / ERCOT
ERCOT told the Public Utility Commission that the governor-ordered audit and verification process will cover roughly 250 to 300 projects, mostly data centers, reworking the interconnection study timeline.
Texas will audit up to 300 projects, mostly data center proposals ↗ERCOT tells PUC audit will cover up to 300 data center projects
Public Utility Commission of Texas
State grid officials told the Public Utility Commission that Gov. Abbott's ordered audit will involve roughly 250-300 mostly data center projects representing over 200 GW of future demand.
Texas will audit up to 300 projects, mostly data centers, after Gov. Greg Abbott's order ↗ERCOT to audit up to 300 data center and large-load projects under Abbott order
ERCOT and Public Utility Commission of Texas
ERCOT and PUC officials told the commission that the audit ordered by Gov. Abbott will cover roughly 250 to 300 projects, mostly data centers, representing about 200 gigawatts of future demand.
Texas will audit up to 300 projects, mostly data centers, after Gov. Greg Abbott's order ↗ERCOT postpones Batch Zero transmission planning study following Abbott directive
Electric Reliability Council of Texas
Following Governor Abbott's audit directive, ERCOT said it is reviewing the order and will postpone the batch zero transmission planning study currently underway for data center interconnections.
Texas Pauses Data Center Interconnections Pending Statewide Audit ↗Abbott orders comprehensive audit of data centers, pausing new grid interconnections
Governor Greg Abbott
Governor Greg Abbott issued a directive to the PUC and ERCOT mandating a comprehensive verification and audit of all data centers advancing through ERCOT's interconnection process, effectively pausing new approvals until the review is complete.
Gov. Greg Abbott pauses new data centers until ERCOT, PUCT audit energy, water usage ↗Abbott calls for 2027 legislation codifying data center requirements
Governor Greg Abbott
Abbott said he would call for legislation from state lawmakers to codify his expectations for data centers, including net-positive electricity impact, noise reduction, repealing tax incentives, and requiring ecological reports.
Most Texans say they oppose local data centers as politicians shift their focus on regulating them ↗PUC formally responds to Abbott outlining data center rulemakings and legislative recommendations
Public Utility Commission of Texas
The PUC formally responded to Gov. Abbott on July 17, outlining actions taken, ongoing rulemakings on transmission cost allocation for large loads, and statutory changes it wants the Legislature to consider in 2027.
Texas PUC Responds to Abbott on Data Centers ↗PUC approves ‘ride-through’ rules for data centers
Public Utility Commission of Texas
The PUC approved rules requiring large computational loads like data centers to withstand grid voltage and frequency disturbances, rejecting industry arguments that the commission lacked authority.
Texas PUC approves 'ride-through' rules for data centers ↗Texas PUC approves ‘ride-through’ rules for data centers and crypto miners
Public Utility Commission of Texas
The Texas Public Utility Commission unanimously approved rules requiring large computational loads, like data centers and crypto-mining facilities, to stay stable and connected to the grid through voltage and frequency disruptions.
Texas PUC approves 'ride-through' rules for data centers ↗PUC approves new ERCOT large-load interconnection process
Public Utility Commission of Texas
The Public Utility Commission of Texas approved a new ERCOT process, including higher documentation requirements, to sort through more than 438,000 megawatts of large-load interconnection requests clogging the queue.
Texas Approves New ERCOT Process to Speed Data Center Grid Connections ↗PUC approves new ERCOT ‘Batch Zero’ large-load interconnection process
Public Utility Commission of Texas / ERCOT
The PUC approved a new ERCOT batch process to sort through more than 438,000 MW of large-load interconnection requests, 89% of which are data centers, starting with a 'Batch Zero' group.
Texas, facing 438 GW queue, approves initial large-load interconnection process ↗PUC approves new ERCOT batch process for large-load interconnections
Public Utility Commission of Texas
The Public Utility Commission approved a new ERCOT process to sort through more than 438,000 megawatts of large-load interconnection requests, grouping projects 75MW or larger into batches for study.
Texas, facing 438 GW queue, approves initial large-load interconnection process ↗PUC approves new ERCOT large load interconnection framework
Public Utility Commission of Texas / ERCOT
The Public Utility Commission of Texas approved ERCOT's new grid connection framework placing all projects of 75 megawatts or more into a single interconnection study to better manage large load growth from data centers.
Texas PUC approves ERCOT's new grid connection rules for large load users ↗PUC approves ERCOT’s Batch Zero process for connecting large data center loads
Public Utility Commission of Texas
The Public Utility Commission of Texas approved ERCOT's new Batch Zero process for large-load interconnection, under which projects of 75MW or more are studied in groups so they connect only in quantities and locations the grid can reliably support.
PUCT Approves ERCOT's Batch Zero Process for Connecting Large Electricity Users While Protecting System Reliability for Texans ↗Abbott directs PUC and ERCOT to protect ratepayers from data center costs
Governor Greg Abbott
Governor Abbott directed the Public Utility Commission and ERCOT to require data centers to fully fund their own electric infrastructure costs and to report additional ratepayer-protection measures by July 17, 2026.
Abbott Orders Texas Data Centers Audit, Halts Grid Connections ↗Abbott directs PUC and ERCOT to audit large loads before permit approval
Governor Greg Abbott
Governor Greg Abbott issued a directive ordering state regulators to audit data center companies before approving permits to ensure they pay for their own electric infrastructure, reuse water and reduce costs for Texas ratepayers.
Texas PUC Responds to Abbott on Data Centers ↗Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller calls for statewide moratorium on hyperscale data centers
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller called for a moratorium on new hyperscale data center development in the state, citing costs to farmers and strain on the power grid.
People vs. Machines: Texas County Pushes Pause on Data Center Construction as Project Risks Expand Nationally Amid Public Opposition ↗Lt. Gov. Patrick sets Senate interim charges to scrutinize data center water use and tax breaks
Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick directed senators to study data center water consumption and evaluate the cost and consequences of state sales tax exemptions for data centers as part of new interim charges.
Texas Legislature to scrutinize data center boom as resident concerns grow ↗Senator Hagen’s office asks Lieutenant Governor to prioritize interim study of data center impacts
State Senator Brent Hagen
A district coordinator for State Senator Brent Hagen told Grayson County commissioners that the senator's office sent a letter asking Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick to prioritize a legislative interim study on grid reliability, water use and land-use authority tied to large-scale data centers.
Senator's office asks Texas Legislature to study data center impacts after Grayson County resolution ↗PUC votes to publish draft interconnection standards rule under SB 6
Public Utility Commission of Texas
The Public Utility Commission of Texas voted to publish draft rule 16 TAC §25.194, implementing SB 6's requirement for interconnection standards for new loads of 75 MW or greater, including financial and disclosure requirements.
Texas Senate Bill 6 Update: What Data Centers and Large Load Customers Should Know About Proposed Interconnection Standards ↗State Senator Bettencourt warns Texas counties lack authority to impose data center moratoriums
State Senator Paul Bettencourt
State Senator Paul Bettencourt sent a letter to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on the day of the Hood County vote, arguing counties have no constitutional or statutory authority to impose moratoriums on data center development.
Texas county pauses data center construction in rural areas for a year ↗Sen. Bettencourt warns Hood County it lacks authority for data center moratorium
State Sen. Paul Bettencourt
State Sen. Paul Bettencourt sent a letter warning Hood County commissioners they had no constitutional or statutory authority to impose a data center development moratorium and asked Attorney General Ken Paxton to weigh in.
Hood County rejects data center development pause ↗Texas Legislature passes SB 6 overhauling large-load interconnection and cost allocation
Texas Legislature — SB 6
The Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 6, signed by Governor Abbott, requiring large electrical loads such as data centers to disclose competing interconnection requests, share infrastructure costs, and participate in load management on the ERCOT grid.
Important Texas Regulatory Updates for Data Centers ↗PUC sues Attorney General Paxton to block release of crypto mining power-use data
Public Utility Commission of Texas
The Public Utility Commission of Texas filed a lawsuit against Attorney General Ken Paxton's office to block release of cryptocurrency mining power consumption data, arguing disclosure could enable acts of terrorism.
State utility commission sues Texas attorney general to avoid releasing data on crypto companies' power use ↗Texas Legislature passes SB 6 regulating large-load interconnection costs
Texas Legislature — SB 6
The Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 6, requiring large electricity customers like data centers to bear more of the costs of connecting to and operating on the ERCOT grid; Gov. Abbott signed it into law on June 20, 2025.
Texas Legislature Passes Important Regulatory Changes for Texas Data Centers and Other Large Load Customers ↗Paxton’s office rules crypto mining registration data should be released to media
Attorney General Ken Paxton
Attorney General Ken Paxton's office issued a ruling largely siding with journalists that some cryptocurrency mining registration data held by the PUC should be released under the Texas Public Information Act.
Texas Utility Regulator Sues Attorney General to Keep Crypto Mining Data Secret Over Terrorism Fears ↗Texas House bills filed to expand siting authority over battery storage and renewable facilities
Texas Legislature — HB 1343, HB 1378, HB 3056
Texas House bills were filed that would allow counties and cities to restrict siting of battery energy storage, solar and wind facilities near other property owners and would require PUC permits for battery storage equipment connected to ERCOT.
Texas Bills to Watch: Siting, Permitting, and Removal of BESS, Solar and Wind ↗PUC adopts rule requiring crypto miners to register with ERCOT
Public Utility Commission of Texas
The Public Utility Commission of Texas adopted a rule requiring cryptocurrency mining facilities connected to the main grid to register with ERCOT and disclose anticipated peak power loads.
Crypto miners must register with state and reveal power usage under new Texas rule ↗Texas lawmakers hold hearing on data center sales tax exemption costs
Texas Senate Committee (Sen. Joan Huffman, Sen. Charles Perry)
Texas lawmakers reviewed the rapidly growing cost of the state's data center sales tax exemption, with witnesses urging mandatory energy/water reporting and greater county authority over siting.
Texas lawmakers question data center tax breaks as costs and community concerns grow ↗