Riot Platforms and Comanche Circle Data Center have committed to comply with new state data center standards, Governor Greg Abbott announced. The commitments follow guidelines the governor established to prevent data centers from straining Texas's power grid or water resources and from shifting costs to consumers.
The standards require data centers to fund their own electricity infrastructure, reuse water onsite, reduce electricity costs for Texas consumers, and avoid disrupting neighborhoods. They must also disclose all public financial support, detail plans for power generation, explain water usage and efficiency measures, and outline community protections including noise controls and traffic improvements. The Public Utilities Commission of Texas and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) must audit each project before approval.
Data center companies that fail to comply with the audit process can be denied approval. Since the guidelines were issued, data centers across the state have either announced compliance or ended their projects, the governor's office said. One data center chose to end operations rather than comply with the standards.
"I established clear guardrails to ensure data centers protect our electric grid, conserve our water, respect our neighborhoods, and pay their own way," Abbott said. "They must not pass costs on to Texas families or interfere with their quality of life."