Amazon to Build One of the U.S.'s Dirtiest Power Plants in Texas for Data Center

Amazon is facing criticism after plans emerged to build a gas power plant in Texas that could become one of the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. The GW Ranch project in Pecos County has been approved for up to 33 million tons of CO₂ emissions annually—more than the country’s largest coal plant.

The facility will consist of 35 gas turbines with a combined capacity of 7.65 GW and is designed to power Amazon’s new data center. Notably, the project will initially bypass Texas’ power grid, with energy delivered directly to Amazon’s infrastructure. The company confirmed the land purchase and its intention to source electricity from GW Ranch.

This decision raises questions about Amazon’s climate commitments. In 2019, the company pledged to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040, yet its emissions have continued to rise. The growth is attributed to increased data center demand driven by cloud services and artificial intelligence. An Amazon spokesperson noted that “the world has changed since the climate pledge was made” but reaffirmed the company’s goals.