• Amazon says the campus will initially use new on-site generation and later connect to the grid as interconnection timelines allow
  • Pacifico’s GW Ranch has approval for up to 7.65GW of gas generation; reporting based on the permit puts its annual CO₂ limit at about 33 million tonnes

The Fact

Amazon is planning a data-centre campus in Pecos County, West Texas. The company says the site will initially use new on-site power generation instead of drawing electricity from the Texas grid. Amazon plans to buy that power from GW Ranch, a private energy campus being developed by Pacifico Energy. It expects to connect to the grid later, when capacity becomes available, and is also considering solar power and battery storage.

Pacifico received approval from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality in January for up to 7.65GW of gas-fired generation at GW Ranch. The company says the project could supply more than 5GW of private power, with first power expected in the first quarter of 2027. Plans also include up to 1.8GW of battery storage and 750MWac of solar. The permit allows annual CO₂ emissions of about 33 million tonnes, but this is a regulatory limit, not a forecast of actual emissions.

The assessment

Amazon is trying to solve a timing problem by building power alongside the data centre. If Pacifico can commission enough generation before a grid connection is available, Amazon can energise its first capacity without waiting for utility power. That makes Pacifico’s construction programme, gas supply and operating approvals part of the data-centre delivery schedule.

The 33 million-tonne permit limit shows how large the authorised gas operation could become, not how much it will emit. Actual emissions will depend on how much generation is built, how often it runs and how much electricity eventually comes from solar, batteries or the grid. For BTW readers, the project links two construction schedules that are usually managed separately. Amazon’s first data-centre capacity can come online ahead of a grid connection only if Pacifico’s power plant is ready when the servers are.

What to watch

Pacifico’s Q1 2027 first-power target is the next milestone. The amount of gas capacity completed for Amazon, followed by any grid connection, solar or battery additions, will determine the site’s operating mix. Once the campus is running, reported emissions can be compared with the 33 million-tonne permit ceiling.