Some East Texas residents are raising concerns about continued data center construction as Gov. Greg Abbott’s recent directive to audit data centers only applies to sites connecting to ERCOT.
In early August, Abbott directed ERCOT and the Public Utility Commission of Texas to audit all data centers advancing through the grid’s interconnection process before any project moves forward.
“Our top priority is to protect Texans’ safety and quality of life,” said Abbott. “Any project that fails to comply with the requirements set forth by the PUCT and ERCOT, and by state law, must be denied connection to the Texas grid. Simply put, Texans must come first.”
However, some of Texas’ power infrastructure does not fall under ERCOT.
Small portions of the state in East and North Texas are connected to grids controlled by regional transmission organizations, such as Southwest Power Pool (SSP) and Midcontinent ISO (MISO), entities distinct from ERCOT.
This has raised concerns that data centers connecting to non-ERCOT power grids or building their own power generation will be able to circumvent Abbott’s audit.
Dr. Jamie Davis, a law student and resident of Bowie County, told Texas Scorecard this concerns the Black Mountain project planned near Leary and Red Lick.
“So, Governor Abbott told PUCT and ERCOT to audit every data center in ERCOT’s interconnection queue and approve nothing until the audit is done,” said Davis. “[Abbott’s] letter went to PUCT and ERCOT because those are the entities he directs directly, I believe, so Northeast Texas sits on the wrong side of the line. There’s no ERCOT, there’s no protection there. So there’s kind of a little bit of a loophole.”
“[Black Mountain] is still currently logging the area as of [August 7], they’re currently taking down trees,” added Davis.
Black Mountain Power LLC reportedly purchased the 600 acres north of Leary in March of this year. The purchase comes as Project Big Pine, a 500-acre data center project, was announced in Texarkana in April to much local pushback.
Davis also expressed concern regarding the negative impact on the surrounding community.
“This thing is on fence lines. It’s on a fence line of a $2 million home of a man that has four heart stents and just survived cancer twice,” said Davis. “We don’t have many people that could purchase that house. So he is stuck.”
“It’s a hazmat exposure right by a school in people’s backyards and then we are under the C5 [volunteer] fire department out here … there’s no real plan in place that they’ve told us about what they’re going to do about the fire hazards, the safety hazards.”
A standard permit registration form for the center, obtained by Davis, repeatedly states that the emission factors specified in the permit “should not be considered enforceable.” It is unclear whether this language was included in the final permit.
“I’m really protective of my neighbors,” said Davis. “I want to be a good neighbor, and I have spent day and night trying to research these things for my community on what we can do.”
Black Mountain has not responded to a request for comment about how Abbott’s order affects its operations.
