Data Center Moratoriums And The Rise Of Private Grids Texas Governor Greg Abbott has drawn praise for his data center moratorium, but a more insidious trend is unfolding in plain sight.
While Abbott's move may be seen as a bold step towards addressing the tech industry's impact on communities, it conveniently overlooks the rise of private grids with massive gas fired power plants – often referred to as "behind the meter" (BTM) power plants.
These islanded power plants are designed solely for the benefit of a single industrial facility and bypass regulatory reviews by connecting directly to data centers.