Amazon Data Center Tied to One of the US's Dirtiest Power Plants
In one line: Amazon is investing in a new gas-burning power plant to feed its West Texas data center that could become one of the largest single greenhouse-gas emitters in the US, according to The New York Times.
Key points
- The plant is planned for Pecos County in West Texas and would burn natural gas.
- Amazon has reportedly made a significant investment in its construction.
- The New York Times reports the facility could rank among the biggest single-source GHG emitters in the country.
Why it matters
The AI boom is driving a surge in data-center power demand, exposing a gap between Big Tech's clean-energy pledges and its growing reliance on fossil fuels. It underscores how the carbon footprint of AI infrastructure is colliding with corporate climate commitments.