A new data center project in Reeves County, Texas could eventually draw on up to 2.5 gigawatts of gas-fired power — enough capacity to rival a mid-sized city’s entire electricity demand, all dedicated to computing.
What’s actually planned
According to Data Center Dynamics, developer Prometheus Hyperscale has partnered with Istmo on a gas-powered data center campus in Reeves County, with plans to scale up to 2.5GW and first power targeted for next year. Beyond that, public details are limited — the project’s exact size, timeline for full buildout, and which companies will ultimately use the computing capacity haven’t been disclosed.
Why gas, and why it matters
Large data center developers increasingly pair projects with dedicated gas-fired power plants rather than waiting years for grid interconnection or new transmission lines. This lets a project move faster and, in some cases, operate partly independent of the public grid. But it also means new gas infrastructure, new emissions, and new demand on gas supply and pipeline capacity in the region — costs and tradeoffs that don’t always show up in the same permitting conversations as “data center jobs.”
The local stakes
Reeves County sits in West Texas, a region already home to heavy oil and gas activity. A gas-fired power plant of this scale would add to local air emissions and industrial buildout, and residents may see effects on land use, noise, truck traffic during construction, and long-term changes to the local economy and tax base. Data centers also typically require water for cooling, though the summary provided doesn’t specify the water source or volume for this project — a detail worth watching as more information becomes public.
What to watch, what you can do
Projects at this scale usually require air permits, water permits, and local zoning or tax abatement approvals — each a point where the public can ask questions or comment. Right now, the key unknowns are how much gas capacity gets built in the first phase, what emissions controls will be used, and what local agreements (tax breaks, water use, jobs commitments) accompany the project. GridWatch will track permitting filings and public notices as they emerge. You can browse other projects on the map, learn how gas-powered data centers work on our learn page, and find out how to weigh in on local permitting decisions at take action.
Source: Data Center Dynamics
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