Amazon Texas Data Center Could Become Largest U.S. Emitter

Amazon is constructing a data center in Pecos County, Texas, that will be powered by a new onsite natural gas plant permitted to emit up to 33 million tons of carbon dioxide annually, a figure that would make it the single largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. The project, confirmed by the company on August 8, 2026, highlights the growing tension between the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence infrastructure and corporate climate commitments.

The planned facility would consist of 35 natural gas turbines capable of generating up to 7.65 gigawatts of power dedicated solely to the data center's operations. According to regulatory documents, the plant's permitted emissions would more than double those of the current largest U.S. emitter, the coal-fired James H. Miller Jr. Power Plant in Alabama, which releases about 16 million tons of CO2 per year. An Amazon spokesperson stated that the campus will be powered by new onsite generation that won't raise electricity costs for Texas families.

The project arrives as Amazon and other major technology companies race to build data centers to meet surging demand for AI computing power, a need that requires...