德州州长格雷格·阿博特周一宣布暂停数据中心的审批工作，要求该州公用事业委员会（PUCT）和电力可靠性委员会（ERCOT）对所有寻求接入州电网的数据中心进行全面验证和审计[1]。审计范围包括税收优惠、用电情况、用水及冷却操作等多个方面[1]。
ERCOT目前在互联电网项目队列中追踪超过1800个项目，代表474吉瓦以上的电力需求，这一规模超过电网峰值需求记录的五倍[1]。其中约90%的新电力请求来自数据中心[1]。德州共和党众议院代表布拉德·巴克利指出，PUCT调查的参与率"相当可怜"，377家公司中仅有28家提交了回复[1]。
对于阿博特的举措，意见并不统一。德州农业专员西德·米勒认为这一指令是"空头支票"，呼吁采取立法行动而非仅依赖行政令[1]。此前，希尔县曾在2024年5月批准了德州首个数据中心开发暂停令，但一个月后因开发商提起1亿美元损害赔偿诉讼而撤销[1]。
Governor Greg Abbott announced on Monday a halt to data center approvals in Texas until state regulators complete comprehensive audits of pending projects [1]. Abbott directed the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) to conduct full verification and audits of all data centers seeking access to the state's power grid, reviewing information including tax incentives, electricity usage, water consumption, and cooling operations [1].
The move reflects growing concerns over the rapid expansion of data centers in the state. ERCOT is currently tracking more than 1,800 projects in its interconnection queue, representing over 474 gigawatts of power demand—exceeding the grid's peak demand record by more than five times [1]. According to Abbott, approximately 90 percent of new electricity requests are from data centers [1]. Republican state representative Brad Buckley highlighted weak industry engagement with the PUCT's investigation, noting that only 28 of 377 companies submitted responses, which he characterized as "rather dismal" participation [1].
The governor's action comes after Hill County approved Texas's first data center development moratorium in May 2024, though the order was rescinded a month later when a developer filed a $100 million damages lawsuit [1]. Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller criticized Abbott's directive as a "blank check," calling instead for legislative action rather than administrative measures alone [1].