Planned Amazon data center could become the biggest climate polluter in the U.S.
Amazon is planning a data centre in Pecos County, Texas, supported by an on-site natural-gas power plant that could become the United States’ largest single source of climate pollution. The proposal highlights the growing tension between technology companies’ expanding AI infrastructure and their public climate commitments, as data centres require increasingly large amounts of electricity.
According to The New York Times, the plant is permitted to emit up to 33 million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually, exceeding any existing US power plant. Amazon says the generation will not increase electricity costs for Texas households, but its reported carbon emissions rose 16% last year despite a pledge to eliminate emissions by 2040; the company says its commitment remains unchanged.
- Amazon’s planned Texas plant could emit 33 million tonnes of CO₂ annually.
- It would power a new data centre using natural gas.
- The project challenges Amazon’s 2040 climate pledge.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Critics argue that building a large new fossil-fuelled power plant alongside a data centre would sit uneasily with climate commitments, especially if it becomes an exceptionally large source of emissions. They contend that a company with Amazon’s resources should meet growing computing demand through genuinely low-carbon generation, storage and efficiency, rather than locking in infrastructure that could pollute for decades. This case prioritises limiting cumulative emissions, public health and the credibility of corporate climate pledges.
The case against
Supporters may argue that reliable, always-available electricity is essential for data centres that underpin businesses, public services and increasingly energy-intensive artificial intelligence, and that on-site generation can protect users from grid constraints and outages. They may also contend that Texas’s rapidly growing demand requires practical transitional capacity while renewable generation, transmission and storage expand, and that a project should be judged on its actual technology, operating profile and mitigation measures rather than its headline potential alone. This case prioritises energy reliability, economic development and meeting current demand without compromising system stability.
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