Is World’s Biggest Data Centre Campus in Texas Sustainable?
A multi-gigawatt energy campus is being planned in Texas near to the US government’s main nuclear weapons development facility.
Former Texas governor and US energy secretary Rick Perry’s company Fermi America has joined with the Texas Tech University System (TTU System) for the collaboration near Amarillo in the Texas Panhandle.
The Advanced Energy and Intelligence Campus will be 5,800 acres and include 18 million square feet of data centres and generate up to 11GW of IT capacity from natural gas, solar, wind and clean nuclear energy.
Fermi America will provide critical infrastructure energy solutions.
It says geotechnical work has already begun on the campus and it is expected to deliver 1GW of power by the end of 2026.
A big deal and a very big project
With its location in Texas, everything about the project is appropriately big and bold.
Fermi says the campus will combine the “largest nuclear power complex in America, the nation’s biggest combined-cycle natural gas project, utility grid power, solar power and battery energy storage” into one development serving hyperscale data centre companies.
The location is strategic, lying close to Pantax, the US’s main nuclear weapons assembly facility, at the intersection of several of the nation's largest gas pipelines and on one of the nation's largest known natural gas fields.
Fermi has submitted a federal application to build a nuclear power complex with four 1GW reactors.
It is understood to be looking to start construction next year and launch the first phase of the nuclear plant by 2032.
‘The energy-AI capital of the world’
Ben Sooter, Program Manager, Electric Power Research Institute, says: “This isn’t just a data centre – it’s an energy megahub, built from scratch to power the next era of AI.
“With global tensions rising and compute demand exploding, this is Texas staking a claim as the energy-AI capital of the world.
“Is this the moment AI infrastructure goes sovereign-scale? Or is Texas simply leading the charge?”
Make America energy dominant
Alongside being planned to address rising energy and data centre demand, there is also a geo-political edge to the campus.
Former Texas Governor Rick says: “The Chinese are building 22 nuclear reactors today,” added Perry. We’re behind, and it’s all hands on deck.
“President Trump’s first executive order spoke to the energy issue and how we must continue to make America energy dominant.
“No one does energy better than Texas and Fermi America and the Texas Tech University System are answering the call.”
Powering minds as well as data centres
“The Texas Tech University System is proud to partner with Fermi America on this historic endeavour,” says TTU System Chancellor Tedd L. Mitchell.
“Texas is the energy capital of the world and this campus will not only be the largest energy and data complex of its kind, but also a testament to the unshakable spirit of our system, the Texas Panhandle and this great state.”
The campus plan also includes an academic and research facility featuring office, classroom and conference spaces.
TTU System says the project will provide academic and research opportunities for faculty and students, including internships, employment and workforce training and placement programmes that will benefit all five TTU System institutions.
“This collaboration will not only position Texas Tech to address the evolving demands of the energy and technology sectors but will also create meaningful educational opportunities for our students and research possibilities across many disciplines for our faculty,” says TTU President Lawrence Schovanec.
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