Amazon’s planned Texas data center could emit 33 million tons of CO₂ per year

A planned Amazon data center in Pecos County, Texas, includes an on-site natural gas power plant that has been permitted to release 33 million tons of carbon dioxide per year, according to a report by The New York Times. If the plant operates at that level, it would exceed the annual emissions of every existing power plant in the United States.

The New York Times report cites the facility’s permit as the basis for the 33 million ton figure. An Amazon spokesperson stated that the data center will “be powered by new on-site generation that won’t raise electricity costs for Texas families,” and added that the company remains committed to its 2040 net-zero pledge despite recent emissions increases.

Amazon’s total carbon emissions rose 16% last year, the company disclosed, a trend that could accelerate as large technology companies back the development of substantial natural gas plants to supply power-hungry data centers. The company’s spokesperson noted that external conditions have changed since it co-founded The Climate Pledge, but claimed its commitment has not.