According to express officials, the Texas Legislature is preparing to address the development of data centers based on information provided by the designers.
Some government officials told the Texas House’s State Affairs Committee that they did not systematically monitor data centers ‘ water use or the local revenue breaks they received during a prolonged hearing in the Texas Capitol on Wednesday. Otherwise, the state relies on study actions.
The committee heard from the two organizations that manage Texas ‘ electrical infrastructure, the Public Utility Commission of Texas ( PUC), and CEO Pablo Vegas of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas ( ERCOT ). Governor earlier this month Greg Abbott instructed these organizations to audit all data center connections to the Texas electricity grid, stating that the PUC and ERCOT were required to learn which initiatives receive state and local tax cuts.
According to Vegas and Gleeson, these organizations don’t maintain a comprehensive record of local state tax opportunity agreements.
Are there any plans to evaluate local taxes subsidies or abatements, or anything else on the state level, for that matter? Are PUC or ERCOT established? Chris Turner, a express representative from Arlington, questioned Vegas and Gleeson.
Vegas confirmed to Turner that a review will be used to collect this data.
According to Vegas, “it will have to be verified by those who are providing it.” What we’ll be doing is only gathering and requesting that data, but whether there is a follow-up on confirmation of that would be a question.
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ ) and the Texas Water Development Board ( TWDB) representatives also told the lawmaker that their organizations don’t keep a statewide record of data centers ‘ water usage, which can vary significantly from one project to another during a tense exchange with state representative Richard Pea Raymond (D-Laredo ).
” The query I asked was really straightforward. Does anyone know how much liquid they’re asking or recommending they’re going to use when they apply it? Additionally, how they have determined whether they can use liquid that is not going to become consumed by people. State,” We don’t know the answer,” Raymond said if none of you know the answer.
The sole study she is aware of that is asking those questions right now was conducted by the [PUC], according to Temple McKinnon, director of water supply planning at TWDB.
The permit process at TCEQ does not require a respondent to demonstrate that they have already secured a water source for their development, according to Robert Sadlier, deputy director of water quality.
The dialogue came after a similar conference last month about a state sales tax deduction for some data center equipment for projects that adhere to specific requirements. The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts is tasked with auditing these projects by the state laws, which was passed in 2013.
The comptroller’s office’s scientist told the Texas Senate Finance Committee that the superintendent “accepts ] the company developing the data center” during the approval process and only assessments them once.
According to the website, the PUC did finish its study and turn it in by December 31 and send it to the governor and the congressional budget board.
