Amazon-backed gas plant in Texas permitted to emit up to 33 million tons of CO2 for new data center

Amazon is financing construction of a 7.65 gigawatt gas-fired power plant in Pecos County, Texas, to supply electricity exclusively to a new West Texas data center, The Verge reports. The plant, named GW Ranch, received a permit from Texas regulators allowing it to emit up to 33 million tons of CO2, a threshold exceeding the permitted emissions of the largest coal plant in the U.S., according to Cleanview, which tracks data center power projects.

The 35 natural-gas turbines at GW Ranch would initially operate off-grid, delivering power directly to the data center rather than connecting to the broader Texas grid, The Verge states. While permitted emissions do not equate to actual emissions, the lax pollution limits underscore the scale of potential greenhouse gas output associated with AI-driven energy demand.

The project raises questions about Amazon’s Climate Pledge, a commitment co-founded by Jeff Bezos to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040. Amazon spokeswoman Margaret Callahan told the New York Times that external conditions have changed since the pledge was made, but asserted that the company’s commitment remains unchanged.

The initiative aligns with a broader industry trend: Meta and Google have also begun constructing dedicated power plants fueled by gas and other non-renewable sources to meet the surging energy requirements of AI data centers, The Verge notes. The Trump administration has moved to relax restrictions on such facilities, further facilitating this shift.