Amazon-backed Texas power plant could become one of the most polluting in the US

Amazon is investing in a new gas-fired power plant in Pecos County, Texas, to supply electricity to its new West Texas data center, and the project could become one of the country's largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions, according to reporting by The New York Times.

The facility, known as GW Ranch, has received a Texas state permit allowing it to emit up to 33 million tons of carbon dioxide annually — more than even the largest coal-fired power plant in the country. The figure comes from Cleanview, an organization that tracks data centers and their associated energy projects. While power plants rarely emit as much as their permits allow, the sheer size of the allowance highlights how loose the restrictions are.

The plant will run 35 natural-gas turbines with a combined capacity of 7.65 gigawatts, and it will not initially be connected to Texas's broader power grid — its output will go primarily to the new Amazon data center. Amazon has confirmed it purchased the site and intends to buy power from GW Ranch.

Part of a wider trend

Amazon is not alone in turning to dedicated power generation: Meta and Google have also begun building their own power plants, relying on gas, coal, and other non-renewable sources as electricity demand from AI data centers surges. The Trump administration has pushed to ease restrictions on such polluting plants.

Even if GW Ranch ultimately emits only a fraction of what its permit allows, the project would still mark a significant setback for Amazon's climate commitments. Founder Jeff Bezos pledged to make the company carbon neutral by 2040, but Amazon's emissions have risen for several consecutive years as AI demand has grown. Amazon spokeswoman Margaret Callahan told The New York Times that while the world looks different now than when the company co-founded its climate pledge, its commitment has not changed.