• IREN's 2GW Sweetwater hub and Galaxy's Helios I and II projects received conditional Base Load classifications in ERCOT's Batch Zero process
  • Galaxy's Caspian, Selene and Helios III projects were classified as Studied Load, leaving their requested capacity subject to allocation

The fact

IREN and Galaxy disclosed on 8 September that several large data-centre loads in Texas had received conditional classifications under ERCOT's Batch Zero process. IREN said Sweetwater 1 and Sweetwater 2, totalling 2GW, were classified as Base Load. Sweetwater 1 already has an energised high-voltage substation, while 300MW of gross data-centre capacity is under construction for targeted delivery in the fourth quarter of 2027.

Galaxy said five projects representing about 4.2GW also received conditional classifications. Helios I, at 800MW, and Helios II, at 830MW, were placed in the Base Load category, while the 700MW Caspian project, 900MW Selene and 1GW Helios III were classified as Studied Load. Caspian is notable because Galaxy had submitted the project as Base Load but ERCOT conditionally classified it as Studied Load.

Under Batch Zero, Base Load projects are included in the study without another capacity-allocation step, while Studied Load projects remain subject to allocation. ERCOT is still completing verification and audit work, so all of the classifications remain conditional. The classifications describe how the projects enter the grid-study process; they do not describe whether the associated data-centre capacity has been built or commissioned.

The assessment

The classification determines how much grid-process work remains for each project. If the conditional decisions are confirmed, Sweetwater, Helios I and Helios II would not face another capacity-allocation step within Batch Zero, while Caspian, Selene and Helios III would still depend on allocation through the system-wide study. Projects with similar headline capacity can therefore sit at different stages of the ERCOT process.

Caspian and Sweetwater also show why grid status and physical delivery need to be separated. Galaxy sought Base Load treatment for Caspian but received a conditional Studied Load classification, leaving another allocation step unresolved. Sweetwater is further along physically, with an energised substation and construction under way, but 300MW of gross data-centre capacity still has to be completed. Clearing a grid-process step does not mean the data centre itself is ready for use.

For BTW readers, the more useful comparison is the status of the specific phase a customer may occupy rather than the headline gigawatt figure for the wider campus. A Base Load classification removes one Batch Zero allocation dependency if confirmed, but construction, electrical infrastructure and commissioning still determine when capacity can actually be delivered. Gross power figures also should not be treated as equivalent to the IT load ultimately available for customer workloads.

What to watch

Watch for ERCOT to confirm the conditional classifications and allocate capacity to Studied Load projects. After that, follow utility agreements, substation energisation, construction, and commissioning at each site. Caspian will be particularly useful to track because its requested Base Load status was changed to Studied Load.