The Power Connection Digest Issue #74

September 24, 2026

Peter Cook, Editor

There are a lot of moving parts in the data center power industry! We’re trying to save you time by wading through the press releases, announcements, and analysis to bring you what is most important (with a focus on the unique power opportunities in Texas, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia…fueled by abundant natural gas and other energy sources). Take a look at what we think are the biggest stories from the past week!

And if you are involved with power generation or data center development in Appalachia or in Texas, you should sign up to attend these two great upcoming events:

Marcellus Power Conference (October 21-22 in Pittsburgh) – https://the-power-connection.com/powerpa2026/

The Data Center Energy Industry Update (November 2 in Houston) – https://the-power-connection.com/houstonenergy2026/

Check them out and register!

And now, the news…

1 Million Square Foot Data Center Announced in PA

The 274 acre project is about 30 minutes north of Pittsburgh.

Three Pennsylvania Power Projects That Could Double State Capacity

"Dan Adamski, executive managing director at JLL, said when large landowners come to him wanting to market their properties for data center development, 'We tell them: ‘Not until you show us your power story.’' Hear from Dan at the Marcellus Power Conference next month!

Compression May Be the Hidden Winner of the PJM Power Buildout

The next cycle of pipeline and compression investment may increasingly be driven from the demand side of the equation, by power generation and data-center development, rather than solely by producer drilling programs. Compression could be one of the biggest beneficiaries.

Pa. legislative leaders reject data center moratorium

Pennsylvania leaders on both sides of the aisle are rejecting the idea of a data center moratorium as the issue churns on the campaign trail and in local communities.

20 GW of New Gas-Fired Power: SWPA Does What NEPA Doesn’t

Southwestern PA alone is proposing to add 22 GW. That is not an expansion. That is a second Pennsylvania grid.

Could abandoned mines house Pa.’s unwanted data centers?

Creative approach to data center development could be win-win, and be embraced by local communities.

Governor Abbott Orders TCEQ to Pause All Permit Issuance for Data Center Projects

Governor Abbott ordered TCEQ on September 21, 2026 to halt all permit issuance for data center projects statewide until ERCOT completes its grid audit, expected in mid-December 2026. Bracewell takes a closer look.

Governor Greg Abbott’s new data center audit requirement adds another meaningful tailwind for behind the meter power in Texas.

Jose Ortega: The message is clear. Texas remains open for data center development, but access to the ERCOT grid will face greater scrutiny, verification, and accountability. This strengthens the case for projects capable of generating their own power.

PROPWR Signs New Power Contracts to Commit Approximately 230 Megawatts to Targa Resources Corp.

These long-term contracts will provide behind-the-meter power to support Targa’s continued investment in natural gas processing infrastructure in the Permian Basin, with full deployment expected in early 2028.

Hut 8 wins bidding for Poolin’s Texas data centers with $140M offer

The Bitcoin miner turned AI infrastructure play nearly tripled the stalking-horse bid to grab two West Texas sites out of bankruptcy.

New Era Energy & Digital Locks in 20-Year Gas PPA with Vistra Corp.

The PPA covers a minimum of 207 MW of capacity over a 20-year term for New Era's 250 MW Texas Critical Data Center in Ector County, TX,

Apex Clean Energy Signs PPA with Meta for Solar Power from Texas Project

Apex Clean Energy announced the Virginia-based company has a power purchase agreement (PPA) with technology giant Meta for exclusive rights to energy from the Starling Solar project in Gonzales County, Texas, including all renewable energy credits.

Kodiak Gas to Use 40 Natural Gas Generators to Power Data Centers

Kodiak Gas Services announced a six-year deal to install 76 MW of behind-the-meter natural gas power at an under construction data center site in West Texas.

The first bulldozers are moving at PowerBridge’s Alpha Digital Campus in West Texas.

Initial site work is now underway, marking an important milestone for the project and the PowerBridge team.

Fermi delivers Siemens turbines with 780 MW combined capacity to Texas AI campus

Each turbine weighs more than 480,000 pounds. The equipment traveled from Germany to the Port of Houston before moving hundreds of miles by heavy-haul transport to the Carson County site in the Texas Panhandle.

Anthropic and OpenAI hunt for smaller data center deals in race to deploy AI capacity

Smaller capacity deals are often attractive because of "speed to usable capacity," one analyst told CNBC.

Oracle shares drop on report it sent ‘force majeure’ notice about data center project

Oracle is looking to delay payment if the project doesn’t come online in 2028, according to Bloomberg.

Congress Takes Aim at Who Pays for Data Center Power Construction

House-backed plan preserves state authority over grid costs while competing Senate proposal would impose a direct federal requirement.

Congress Agreed on the Principle. The States Still Set the Price.

The House bill says large loads above 100 MW should cover the full incremental cost of the generation, transmission and distribution upgrades they trigger. But states are largely being told to consider those standards. That matters because most states are already working through this issue in large-load tariffs, utility commission proceedings and rate cases.

The Data Center Story 60 Minutes Missed

The broadcast concentrated on projects where local trust had broken down. It gave little attention to communities that negotiated enforceable protections and can identify measurable benefits from saying yes.

Texas data center leaders say shale boom offers lessons in winning community trust

As the data center industry booms in Texas, industry leaders said they can look to the shale revolution for helpful comparisons, especially when it comes to the importance of educating and working with the communities they're building in.

Short Podcast: Why a Power Claim Is Not a Power Solution

Suhail Tayeb gives a quick talk on how to assess "available" power for a project in this 16-minute session.

Looking to stay connected in the rapidly evolving Permian Basin? Look no further than The Power Connection Digest.

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