The Power Connection Digest Issue #58

June 3, 2026

Peter Cook, Editor

The 2nd Annual Permian Power Connection Conference starts in 4 days! That being the case, this week’s Power Connection Digest is very short. I just don’t have the 3+ hours it normally takes to find, read, collate and publish all the articles that I think would be of interest (this newsletter is NOT sourced or generated by AI…maybe it should be, but the fact is we pull it together through good old-fashioned research).

This weekend, our team will be all-hands-on-deck (setting up our sold-out exhibit hall, directing logistics for our 5+ acres for the outdoor equipment expo, and trying to alphabetize 800+ name badges…sorting that many name badges is just the worst…you can only sing the A-B-C Song so many times!). Aside from the name badges thing, we are so excited to see everyone in Midland on Monday!

If you have not had a chance to review the conference website or to register, there is still time! Check out the conference website and register here!

And now, the news…

Texas Moves Forward With New Plan to Power Data Center Boom

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas voted Tuesday in favor of moving forward with plans to approve data center requests for electricity-generation connections under a new “batch” approach, rather than on a first-come, first-studied basis. The idea is to assess the collective impact on the grid of new projects stemming from America’s AI boom.

WSJ: America’s Data-Center Build-Out Is Falling Way Behind Schedule

In pursuing new facilities for its cloud operation, which brought in $20 billion in first-quarter revenue, the company has taken a novel approach to getting around some of the major bottlenecks facing data-center builders—in particular, the ability to secure the massive amounts of electric power they require.

The New Power Paradigm: AI Demand Reshapes Strategy for Williams, Liberty and Caterpillar

Across the supply chain, energy companies no longer operate by a strictly siloed playbook. They’re incorporating power solutions into the operations that fuel their fleets, manage rapid demand growth and deliver product to its final destinations.

ERCOT forecasts record electric demand this summer amid data center boom; says grid will hold up

ERCOT, which operates the power grid for the majority of Texas, is forecasting high temperatures and moderate rainfall this summer. Coupled with the proliferation of data centers and other large projects, demand on the grid could surpass 92 gigawatts, officials estimated June 2.

El Paso city representative seeks to terminate Meta data center deal, a move city officials have warned carries huge risks

Canceling the agreement as construction is in progress would raise legal questions about what losses the city may incur – including facing lawsuits by the trillion-dollar company. City staffers have argued such a move also could cause other businesses to question entering into legal agreements with the city of El Paso.

New data center opens in Central Lubbock

The two Duos Edge AI facilities are million dollar “edge” facilities - which means they are small, decentralized computing centers.

New Era Energy & Digital Strengthens Leadership Team with Appointments of new Chief Development Officer and a new Chief Compliance Officer

The appointments further strengthen New Era’s execution capabilities as the Company continues building a leadership team with directly relevant experience across hyperscale data centers, power development, site acquisition, construction, leasing and project finance.

West Texas Data Center Project Addresses Activist Concerns Head-On

Rather than allowing problems to fester and attract organized opposition, Project Horizon demonstrates how vertical integration, smart engineering, and community focus can turn infrastructure challenges into competitive advantages.

Round Two of the Texas Data Center Virtual Career Fair Is Coming!

The Texas Flywheel Initiative is gearing up for a second virtual career fair connecting job seekers to employment opportunities in data centers, Bitcoin mining, and digital infrastructure. Their January event generated 184 one-on-one meetings and 621 resumes were shared across 28 organizations. If you're hiring HVAC techs, electricians, data center technicians, or other critical infrastructure roles, they want to hear from you. Tell them what you need and help shape the next event.

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