Amazon's Texas Gas Plant Could Be Largest US CO2 Emitter, Clashing With Net-Zero Pledge

Amazon is building a massive natural gas power plant in Texas to power a new data center, potentially making it the largest CO2 emitter in the US, raising questions about its climate pledge.

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Amazon is moving forward with plans to power a new data center in Pecos County, Texas, with a natural gas plant that could become the largest source of carbon dioxide emissions in the United States. The company has confirmed it purchased the site, known as GW Ranch, and intends to buy electricity from the plant.

The facility is designed to generate up to 7.65 gigawatts from 35 natural gas turbines. According to permits, it would be allowed to release up to 33 million tons of CO2 annually, surpassing the output of the largest coal-fired power plant in the country. Initially, the plant will not be connected to the Texas power grid; its output will mainly serve the adjacent data center.

Amazon filed three construction permits with Texas this week to build data center buildings at the site, and satellite imagery shows land clearing has already begun. The company says the campus will create thousands of jobs.

This development comes as Amazon's climate commitments face scrutiny. In 2019, the company pledged to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2040 and co-founded The Climate Pledge, a coalition of over 700 companies. However, Amazon's emissions have risen each year for the past several years.

Margaret Callahan, an Amazon spokeswoman, acknowledged the changing landscape: "The world looks different now than when we co-founded the climate pledge." She added that "our commitment hasn't changed."

In a statement on August 9, Amazon said the new on-site generation won't increase electricity costs for Texas families and is designed to transition to grid-connected service once interconnection timelines allow. The company also said it is exploring solar and battery storage on site, will use water not suitable for drinking or irrigation, and will employ custom cooling technology to minimize water use.

Amazon's statement did not address the potential emissions directly. The New York Times reported the plans on August 8, highlighting the conflict with the company's environmental pledge. Amazon operates more data centers worldwide than any other company.

The GW Ranch plant's permitted emissions would exceed those of any other US power plant, making it a significant contributor to greenhouse gases at a time when the company has pledged to reduce its carbon footprint.