Rise of Data Centers in Texas
March 30, 2026
“There absolutely is a lot on the line for companies who want to do this right.”
— James Dickey on KXAN Austin, March 30, 2026
“Those who need to rush, we want them to be able to rush. Those who can connect, we want to enable them to connect to the grid.”
— James Dickey on balancing grid protection with data center development
James Dickey joined KXAN Austin for the lead story on the Monday 5:00 News to discuss the rapid growth of data center development across Texas and its implications for the state's power grid, water resources, and local communities.
The segment comes days after both the Texas House Speaker and Lieutenant Governor released their interim charges for the period between legislative sessions, with data center development appearing on multiple committee agendas in both chambers. This signals that data center regulation will be a priority when the 90th Legislature convenes in January 2027.
Topics Covered
- ◆Growth of data center development in Texas and the scale of planned facilities
- ◆Impact on the ERCOT power grid and energy infrastructure demands
- ◆Water use concerns and environmental considerations
- ◆What the interim charges mean for regulatory policy in 2027
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Need Help Navigating Texas Data Center Policy?
James Dickey advises data center developers on ERCOT interconnection, interim hearing strategy, and the regulatory landscape heading into the 90th Legislature.
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