Amazon is investing in an on-site natural gas power plant for a planned data center in Pecos County, Texas, that could become the largest single source of carbon dioxide pollution in the United States. The facility is permitted to release as much as 33 million tons of CO2 annually, according to reporting by The New York Times.
The power project, known as GW Ranch, is being developed by Pacifico Energy as a private-grid power generation campus for hyperscale data centers. Pacifico says the project has approval from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for up to 7.65 gigawatts of generation capacity using natural gas turbines.
Its official GW Ranch project page says the site could deliver more than 5 GW of dedicated power alongside battery storage and as much as 750 MW of solar capacity. First power is scheduled for the first quarter of 2027, with capacity expected to exceed 5 GW by 2031.
Amazon Says Project Will Avoid Pressure on Texas Grid
An Amazon spokesperson confirmed that the data center would use new on-site generation rather than drawing its full electricity requirement from the Texas grid. The company said the arrangement would prevent the facility from increasing electricity costs for Texas households.
Pacifico similarly says GW Ranch will operate independently of the ERCOT electricity grid. The developer says the project will use non-potable water, include emissions controls and remain capable of adding solar and battery storage alongside its natural gas generation.
The plant’s permit allows annual carbon dioxide emissions of up to 33 million tons, which would exceed emissions from any existing US power plant if the facility operated at that level. The permitted figure does not necessarily mean the plant will emit the full amount every year.
Amazon’s Emissions Rose 16% in 2025
The development comes as Amazon reports rising emissions while expanding the infrastructure needed for cloud computing and artificial intelligence. Its 2025 Sustainability Report shows that absolute carbon emissions increased 16% between 2024 and 2025, while carbon intensity rose 3%.
Amazon says its carbon intensity has still fallen 38% since 2019. The company continues to state on its sustainability website that it aims to reach net-zero carbon emissions across its operations by 2040 under The Climate Pledge, which it co-founded in 2019.
Responding to questions about its changing energy requirements, an Amazon spokesperson said the circumstances facing the company have changed since the pledge was established. The spokesperson added that Amazon’s commitment to the 2040 target has not changed.
Featured image credits: Wikimedia Commons
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