El Paso County Commissioners approve resolution seeking state action on data centers

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- The El Paso County Commissioners Court approved a resolution Monday and sent a letter to Texas Governor Greg Abbott calling for additional state action and protections surrounding data center development in the borderland.

The county is asking Gov. Abbott to clarify whether recent state protections for communities impacted by data centers apply to El Paso.

The governor recently directed ERCOT and the Public Utility Commission of Texas to audit data centers seeking connections to the state's primary power grid.

El Paso, however, is not part of ERCOT, prompting county leaders to ask that similar protections be extended to the region.

Commissioners are also requesting a pause on further data center development until concerns surrounding water use, electricity costs, infrastructure and environmental impacts are addressed. The county is also asking Gov. Abbott to consider a special legislative session on the issue.

The resolution calls for greater transparency surrounding water and electricity use, protections preventing infrastructure costs from falling on taxpayers, water conservation requirements and additional authority for counties to regulate large developments.

In a statement sent to ABC-7, Gov. Greg Abbott's press secretary said the following:

“Governor Abbott pressed pause on any new data centers. The Governor established clear guidelines: data centers must invest their own money, provide their own power, reuse their own water, ensure that the power grid is gaining power, and must not disturb neighborhoods and rural communities. Data centers in El Paso — including Meta — have agreed to comply with the Governor’s standards.”