An Amazon data center could have the worst polluting power plant in the country

An Amazon-owned site in Pecos County, Texas, received a permit to release up to 33 million tons of CO2.

An Amazon-owned site in Pecos County, Texas, received a permit to release up to 33 million tons of CO2.

To power its new West Texas data center, Amazon is investing in the construction of a new power plant that could be one of the largest single producers of greenhouse gases in the US, according to the New York Times. The new gas-burning plant in Pecos County, Texas has received significant investment from Amazon and, at least initially, would not be connected to the state’s power grid. Instead, its 35 natural-gas turbines would primarily deliver its 7.65 gigawatts of electricity to the new data center.

According to Cleanview, which tracks data centers and their associated power projects, GW Ranch received a permit from Texas allowing for the emission of up to 33 million tons of CO2, more than even the largest coal plant in the country. Plants rarely emit as much greenhouse gas as their permits allow, but it’s still notable that the restrictions on its pollution levels are so lax. Amazon has confirmed that it purchased the site and plans to purchase power from GW Ranch.

Many companies, including Meta and Google, have started building their own power plants, turning to gas, coal, and other non-renewable energy sources as the demands of AI data centers have skyrocketed. The Trump administration has sought to lift restrictions on such polluting power plants.

Even if the GW Ranch site only emits a portion of the greenhouse gases it’s permitted to, it would still represent a significant setback for Amazon’s Climate Pledge. Jeff Bezos pledged to make his company carbon neutral by 2040. However, its emissions have climbed for several years in a row due to the demands of AI. Amazon spokeswoman Margaret Callahan told the New York Times that, “The world looks different now than when we co-founded the climate pledge,” but that, “our commitment hasn’t changed.”

• Terrence O'Brien