Amazon Builds Largest US Gas Plant for Texas Data Center

Amazon is constructing a massive, private natural gas power plant in West Texas to fuel a new data center campus, a project that could become the single largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. The facility, known as GW Ranch, is being developed by Pacifico Energy in Pecos County and will be located off the main Texas power grid, with its electricity dedicated primarily to Amazon's operations.

According to permits reviewed by market intelligence firm Cleanview and confirmed by Amazon, the plant will feature 35 natural gas turbines capable of generating 7.65 gigawatts of electricity. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has issued an air permit allowing the facility to emit up to 33 million metric tons of carbon dioxide annually. This permitted emission level exceeds that of any other single source in the country, including the largest coal-fired power plants. While facilities rarely operate at their full permitted capacity, the scale of the allowance has drawn significant attention.

Amazon confirmed it has purchased the site and plans to purchase power from the GW Ranch project. The company stated that by generating its own power, it avoids...