3 weeks ago
Amazon's Texas Gas Plant Could Become Most Polluting in US
Amazon wants to build a very big building full of computers, called a data center, in Pecos County, Texas.
Computers in data centers use a lot of electricity, especially for artificial intelligence, or AI.
To get power quickly, Amazon wants to build its own power plant that burns natural gas.
This power plant could release a huge amount of carbon dioxide, a gas that warms the planet.
In fact, it could release more of this gas than any other power plant in the whole country.
Some people worry this will harm the environment and hurt Amazon's own promise to stop polluting.
Amazon says the power plant will not make electricity cost more for families in Texas.
It also plans to add solar power and batteries at the site, and says it will create thousands of jobs.
Amazon promised earlier to remove all its planet-warming pollution by 2040, but its pollution has gone up every year since.
The company says the world has changed but its promise to fight climate change has not.
Amazon is building a natural gas power plant to power a data center in Pecos County, Texas, that could be permitted to release 33 million tons of CO2 a year — more than any other US power plant.
The facility would use 35 natural gas turbines capable of generating up to 7.65 gigawatts of electricity.
Amazon says the on-site plant won't raise electricity costs for Texas families and that it is exploring solar energy and battery storage at the site.
Amazon's emissions have risen every year for the past several years, straining its Climate Pledge goal of eliminating planet-warming emissions by 2040.
The remote West Texas plant will not initially connect to the wider electricity grid, and Amazon did not disclose the value of the deal.
- Who
- Amazon, whose spokeswoman Margaret Callahan commented on plans reported by The New York Times; the Trump administration has supported on-site gas power plants.
- What
- Building a natural gas power plant in Pecos County, Texas, to power a new data center — a facility that could emit up to 33 million tons of CO2 per year, more than any other US power plant.
- Where
- Pecos County, Texas, in a remote part of West Texas near major natural-gas-producing regions.
- When
- Recently — Amazon said it recently acquired the Pecos County site, and the Trump administration issued an executive order aimed at fast-tracking data center construction last year.
- Why
- AI data centers require enormous amounts of energy, and building on-site gas plants lets developers avoid delays connecting to electrical utilities.
Environmental and climate advocates
Amazon and fossil-fuel backers
Climate pollution
Environmental and climate advocates
The plant could become the single largest source of climate pollution in the US, releasing 33 million tons of CO2 a year and undercutting Amazon's climate pledge.
Amazon and fossil-fuel backers
Amazon says the on-site generation won't raise electricity costs for Texas families and that it is also exploring solar energy and battery storage at the site.
Meeting AI energy demand
Environmental and climate advocates
The AI boom's enormous energy demand is straining the national power grid and pushing Amazon's emissions up every year, threatening its 2040 climate goal.
Amazon and fossil-fuel backers
The Trump administration supports burning oil, natural gas and coal over renewables, and gas-burning plants are the fastest and cheapest way to power data centers without grid delays.
Key facts
- Company
- Amazon
- Location
- Pecos County, Texas
- Power capacity
- Up to 7.65 gigawatts
- Turbines
- 35 natural gas turbines
- Permitted CO2 emissions
- 33 million tons per year
- Climate pledge target
- Eliminate planet-warming emissions by 2040
- Grid connection
- Will not initially connect to the wider electricity grid
- Deal value
- Not disclosed
Quotes
Margaret Callahan
Amazon spokeswoman
“"powered by new on-site generation that won't raise electricity costs for Texas families."”
freepressjournal.in
“"the world looks different now than when we co-founded the climate pledge."”
freepressjournal.in
Sources
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