Texas Data Center Moratorium Tracker
Texas has 8 state-level data-center restrictions in force and 3 active pauses. 1 more bill is pending. 26 city and county measures are tracked here, 12 of them in force. Every entry below links to its primary source: a legislature page, a governor's office, a local government, or the reporting of record.
Texas
TX
In force
12
State-level measures on record, 11 in force
26
City and county measures, 12 in force
38
Primary sources cited on this page
#17
of 50 states with anything on record, by measure count
State-level measures in Texas
Every statewide moratorium, pause, siting restriction, or tax-incentive rollback in Texas we can verify against a primary source. Strongest status first.
| Measure | Status | What it does | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| SB 6Large-load interconnection standards and grid curtailment | In force 2025-06 | Enacted 2025 (PUCT rulemaking in 2026): interconnection standards and cost obligations on 75 MW+ loads plus authority for ERCOT to curtail or remotely disconnect data centers during grid emergencies. A grid-reliability restriction. | |
| Texas (State Republican Executive Committee)Texas: The State Republican Executive Committee passed a near-unanimous resolution calling for 'rigorous independent assessments' of data center impacts | In force 2026-02 | The State Republican Executive Committee passed a near-unanimous resolution calling for 'rigorous independent assessments' of data center impacts on the grid and water supply before approval, and a pause on 'open loop' (high water use) data centers. Significant because it reflects growing intra-GOP opposition to data center development in Texas. | |
| Texas (PUCT rulemaking)Texas: The Texas Public Utility Commission is implementing SB 6 through multiple rulemaking dockets. | In force 2026-03 | The Texas Public Utility Commission is implementing SB 6 through multiple rulemaking dockets. PUCT Chair Thomas Gleeson proposed rules to pare back proposed requirements for data centers seeking to connect to ERCOT, lowering fees for large loads and adding alternative standards developers can use to demonstrate site readiness. April 17, 2026 was the deadline for stakeholder comments on PUCT draft rule 16 TAC §25.194 implementing SB 6's interconnection standards for new loads of 75 MW or greater. The draft rule includes non-refundable interconnection fees of $50,000/MW of contracted peak demand, requires customers to pay 100% of direct interconnection costs (radial lines, substations), and demands additional security for transmission upgrades. ERCOT is tracking approximately 410 GW of large-load interconnection requests, ~87% from data centers. The PUCT approved ERCOT's 'Batch Zero' large-load interconnection framework, which batches large-load (75MW+) interconnection requests, roughly 89% of which are data centers. ERCOT is now tracking 438,000+ MW in the interconnection queue, up from ~410GW cited in March 2026 reporting. | |
| Texas (Republican shift on data center regulation, Rep. David Cook commits 2027 county-authority legislation)Texas Tribune analysis found 82 data centers (~60% of planned/under construction) sit in Trump-voting Texas House districts. | In force 2026-05 | Texas Tribune analysis found 82 data centers (~60% of planned/under construction) sit in Trump-voting Texas House districts. Republican lawmakers signaling shift toward allowing county-level regulation and water/rate protections. Rep. David Cook committed to filing 2027 legislation giving counties 'reasonable authority' to regulate data centers. Falls County GOP precinct member Rena Schroeder switched to independent over party rejection of moratorium proposal. The legislator who committed to filing 2027 county-authority legislation is Rep. Cody Vasut (R-Angleton), NOT Rep. David Cook; Vasut filed a similar county-regulation bill last session. The 82-data-centers-in-Trump-districts figure and the Falls County GOP / Rena Schroeder details are confirmed. | |
| Governor's directive to Texas Water Development Board (Sept. 14, 2026)Enforcement of data center water-use reporting requirements | In force 2026-09 | On September 14, 2026, Gov. Greg Abbott directed the Texas Water Development Board to use its statutory authority to compel large water users, including data centers, to file the water-use information required by the Texas Water Code. He told the board to refer violations to county or district attorneys and to notify the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, since noncompliance can make a facility ineligible for certain Chapter 11 water permits, amendments or renewals. Abbott asked for a compliance update by October 14, 2026. This is an enforcement directive, not a moratorium. | |
| Order to pause data center permits for audit | In force 2026-09 | Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ordered a pause on environmental permits for new data centers until an audit of the waitlist for grid connections is completed. This expands a previous moratorium on grid approvals and may impact the state's data center development pipeline. | |
| Halt on Texas data center permits | In force 2026-09 | Governor Abbott directed state environmental regulators to stop issuing permits to data centers while an electricity audit is ongoing. This action was taken to address concerns about electricity demand. | |
| Data Center Permit Halt | In force 2026-09 | Texas Governor Abbott ordered a halt to data center permit approvals. The order is intended to address concerns related to energy consumption and grid reliability. | |
| Executive directive (Gov. Abbott)Freeze on new data center grid connections pending audit | Paused 2026-08 | Gov. Abbott directed PUCT and ERCOT on Aug 3, 2026 to audit every data center project advancing through the ERCOT interconnection process (1,800+ requests) before any of them moves forward. The directive has no carve-out: it asks each project to report projected consumption and any on-site generation it is building or procuring, and projects that fail compliance face denial of grid access. Non-ERCOT areas fall outside it only because ERCOT does not serve them. | |
| Statewide moratorium on data centers until a condition is metGovernor's directive pausing ERCOT data center interconnection pending an audit (not a construction ban) | Paused 2026-08 | Gov. Abbott directed ERCOT and the PUC on Aug 3, 2026 to freeze data center interconnection progress pending a comprehensive audit. ERCOT halted its Batch Zero large-load study and suspended Aug 7 classification notices. The directive does not exempt projects with on-site generation; it requires them to report that generation as part of the audit. The hold runs until the audit is complete, which ERCOT is targeting for Dec 10, 2026. Same action as the Texas executive directive entry. | |
| Governor's directive to TCEQ (Sept. 21, 2026)Halt on state environmental permits for data center projects pending audits | Paused 2026-09 | On September 21, 2026, Gov. Greg Abbott directed the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to halt all permits sought by data center projects until ERCOT and the Texas Water Development Board complete their data center audits, and said no state agency should move forward with regulatory approvals for data center development until that information is in hand. TCEQ must report compliance to the Governor by October 19, 2026. The Texas Tribune reported that the order appears aimed at developers building behind-the-meter generation, who could otherwise avoid the ERCOT interconnection audit. It is statewide and not limited to the ERCOT region. | |
| SB2888Relating to the temporary sales and use tax exemptions for certain tangible personal property related to data centers and large data center projects. | Proposed 2025-04 | Texas SB2888 (89th Legislature Regular Session): Relating to the temporary sales and use tax exemptions for certain tangible personal property related to data centers and large data center projects.. Last action 2025-04-07: Referred to Finance. |
City and county moratoria in Texas
Most of the movement is local, where a building pause or permit halt does not need a legislative session. 26 tracked measures in Texas, each with its source.
Abbott
2026-09
Abbott halts new Texas data center permits pending ERCOT audit
Governor Greg Abbott issued a directive halting all new data center permits from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality until an ERCOT audit is completed. The audit is scheduled to be finished by December 2026.
Athens
2026-08
Local moratorium on data centers with no end date
City Council voted 3-2 to permanently ban data centers within city limits. Defines data center as any facility over 500 sq ft used primarily to house servers. Not a moratorium -- a standing zoning ban. The measure has no end date by design and applies at a threshold of 500 sq ft.
Austin County
2026-07
Moratorium on AI data centers and battery energy storage systems
Austin County Commissioners Court unanimously adopted a countywide moratorium on new AI data center and battery energy storage developments in unincorporated areas while the county evaluates impacts and a possible energy development zone.
Bell County (Murray Industries construction moratorium)
2026-07
Bell County (Murray Industries construction moratorium) data center moratorium
Commissioners passed a two-year construction moratorium halting a project by Murray Industries, which had already begun clearing land. It is unclear whether the moratorium covers Meta's already-operational Temple facility nearby. This is a distinct company/action from the broader Rowan Digital Infrastructure / tax-abatement fight already tracked for Temple-area (Bell County) data centers.
Brownsville
2026-10
Brownsville starts 90-day data center moratorium process
The Brownsville City Commission unanimously approved a 90-day moratorium on artificial intelligence data centers during its special meeting on October 12, 2026; the moratorium is scheduled to take effect November 5, pending a second and final reading at the November 4 special meeting, and may be extended for an additional 90 days pending Environmental Task Force review.
El Paso
2026-01
Local moratorium on data centers with no end date
Council unanimously approved data center policy: 300-ft buffer from residential/ecological sites, special use permit, no more tax breaks. Developers must submit resource use, emissions, noise, and water treatment plans. The measure has no end date by design.
Harlingen
2026-05
Local moratorium on data centers for a stated term
120-day moratorium on data center development within city limits, adopted in May 2026 after public hearings, running to mid-October; commissioners approved first reading of a 60-day extension to December in August, second reading pending. City hired Ambiotec Engineering to study water, wastewater and power impacts. The measure has a stated duration whose end date is not recorded.
Hill County Commissioners Court (first Texas county data center moratorium), TX
2026-05
Hill County Commissioners Court (first Texas county data center moratorium), TX data center moratorium
Hill County Commissioners Court voted 3-2 for a 1-year pause on data center construction in unincorporated areas, appears to be the first Texas county moratorium. County officials expect lawsuits (demand letters arrived within 24 hours); State Sen. Paul Bettencourt asked AG Paxton to investigate, claiming counties lack authority. At least 8 more local projects reportedly in development.
Lewisville
2026-01
Local moratorium on data centers with no end date
Council voted unanimously to require Special Use Permit for data centers; banned in all residential areas. Each proposal needs two public hearings. The measure has no end date by design.
Milam County
2026-01
County moratorium on data centers
Resolution calling for stricter statewide standards on data centers: public disclosure of electrical demand, water consumption, cooling technologies, and infrastructure impact. Non-binding. The measure has no documented term.
Princeton
2026-01
Local moratorium on data centers with no end date
City amended regulations to require a Specific Use Permit for data centers, updated definitions, and established per-project public review. The measure has no end date by design.
San Marcos
2026-06
Zoning ban on data centers
City Council voted 4-3 on June 16, 2026 to define data centers and make them ineligible in all zoning districts, becoming the first Texas city to ban them; relies on home-rule authority.
Killeen
2026-10
Killeen leaders work to craft data center zoning requirements as Texas moratorium pauses new projects
Texas has paused new data center projects under a moratorium. Killeen city leaders are working to develop zoning requirements for data centers.
Austin
2026-08
Proposed local moratorium on data centers
Council unanimously directed staff to draft Land Development Code rules for large-scale data centers (location, size, water, noise, heat, lighting) that could regulate or ban facilities above 75 MW, with the first ordinance due back by end of 2026. At least five members back a full ban on hyperscale sites. No moratorium is in effect. The measure has no documented term and applies at a threshold of 75 MW.
Corpus Christi
2026-01
Proposed local moratorium on data centers
Council directed staff to pursue prohibiting data centers in all zoning districts; requires data centers to fully fund own infrastructure. Drought context: severe water crisis threatening city reservoirs. The measure has no documented term.
Denton
2026-09
Proposed local moratorium on data centers
The Denton City Council held the first of two required public hearings on a proposed temporary data center moratorium on September 23, 2026, with no vote taken; the second hearing is scheduled for October 27.
Forney
2026-01
Proposed local moratorium on data centers with no end date
Council directed staff to amend zoning to prohibit data centers in all districts -- effectively a proposed citywide ban. Escalation from April 2026 regulations requiring 5,000-ft setbacks. The measure has no end date by design.
Fort Worth
2026-08
Proposed 90-day data center moratorium
City Council unanimously approved the first steps on Aug. 11, 2026 to initiate a 90-day moratorium on new data center applications, expected to take effect in early 2027; not yet in force.
Lubbock
2026-09
Citizen-petitioned 18-month data center moratorium
On September 23, 2026, the Lubbock City Council voted 5-2 to initiate the state-required process for a 90-day moratorium on rezoning, building permit and annexation applications for large-scale data centers; two public hearings are required before it takes effect.
Mesquite
2026-01
Proposed local moratorium on data centers
Proposed framework: 5-acre min lot, 65 dB noise limit, banned in residential/agricultural/commercial districts. Staff recommended ordinance over moratorium. Not yet enacted. The measure has no documented term.
Taylor
2026-10
Taylor Set To Decide On Annexation, Zoning For Data Center
Taylor, Texas is considering annexation and zoning for a potential 664-acre data center campus. The decision is scheduled to be made on or around October 5, 2026.
Hays County
2026-02
Hays County data center moratorium (failed)
Water advocates identified 5 data centers proposed for the Hays County, Texas, region during historic drought (proposed by CloudBurst Data Centers / Highlander SC One LLC) (1.2GW, $1.2B, 200 acres). County Judge Ruben Becerra proposed a 30-day moratorium on high-water-use building permits but was forced to table it after county attorneys warned it would trigger a lawsuit the county would likely lose. San Marcos City Council scored a major win Feb. 17, voting 5-2 at 2:14 AM to block a $1.5B Highlander SM One data center after 8+ hours of testimony from 100+ residents. Hays County aquifers are at historic lows. Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra proposed a moratorium on permits for large industrial water users (>20,000 gal/day) but the Commissioners Court tabled it on Feb 25 after county attorneys warned it would trigger a lawsuit the county would lose. State Sen. Bettencourt warned counties lack authority for moratoriums. Water advocates have identified 5 potential data center developments in the region and continue organizing.
Hill County
2026-06
One-year data center moratorium (rescinded)
Hill County commissioners adopted a one-year moratorium on May 12, 2026 (the first by a Texas county) but rescinded it June 5, 2026 after a developer lawsuit.
Hood County
2026-02
Hood County data center moratorium (failed)
Hood County (40 miles SW of Fort Worth) has received at least five data center applications (proposed by Sailfish Development). Commissioners voted down a proposed moratorium 3-2, twice, despite 8 hours of public testimony. The 2,100-acre Comanche Circle project sits in a recharge zone for the Upper Trinity Aquifer and could use 1M gallons/day. State Sen. Paul Bettencourt sent a letter to AG Paxton warning that counties lack constitutional authority to impose moratoriums, chilling local opposition. Residents are still adjusting to a nearby bitcoin mining operation in Granbury where neighbors report constant noise affecting people, pets, and wildlife. Hood County commissioners rejected the moratorium a second time on Feb 25, 2026, in a 3-2 vote. Instead, they voted to seek an opinion from TX Attorney General Ken Paxton on whether counties have authority to enact development moratoriums. State Sen. Paul Bettencourt warned counties lack constitutional authority for moratoriums. Residents called for commissioner resignations after the second block.
San Antonio
2026-08
Data center moratorium not pursued
At an Aug. 26, 2026 session, the San Antonio City Council declined to move forward with a temporary moratorium on data center development requested by three council members, with four members in support. The council instead directed work on Unified Development Code amendments, with a council vote on those amendments planned for Oct. 15. No formal vote tally on the moratorium was reported.
Tom Green County
2026-01
Rejected county moratorium on data centers
Commissioners rejected a 12-month moratorium on large-scale data centers, BESS, and power generation in Precinct 4; cited legal risk after Hill County's moratorium drew a $100M federal lawsuit. The measure has no documented term.
Where Texas stands
Across the whole tracker we hold 334 state-level measures in 49 states and 1253 city and county measures, against 1419 primary sources. Texas accounts for 12 of the state-level measures and 26 of the local ones.
By total measures on record it is #17 of the 50 states and DC carrying any tracked action, and #17 by city and county measures alone. Ranking is by count of sourced entries in this dataset, so it measures documented activity, not the size of the buildout.
Sources for Texas
38 citations behind the entries above. Each opens in a new tab.
- Statewide · SB 6 — Large-load interconnection standards and grid curtailment utilitydive.com →
- Statewide · Texas (State Republican Executive Committee) — Texas: The State Republican Executive Committee passed a near-unanimous resolution calling for 'rigorous independent assessments' of data center impacts kwtx.com →
- Statewide · Texas (PUCT rulemaking) — Texas: The Texas Public Utility Commission is implementing SB 6 through multiple rulemaking dockets. ercot.com →
- Statewide · Texas (Republican shift on data center regulation, Rep. David Cook commits 2027 county-authority legislation) — Texas Tribune analysis found 82 data centers (~60% of planned/under construction) sit in Trump-voting Texas House districts. texastribune.org →
- Statewide · Governor's directive to Texas Water Development Board (Sept. 14, 2026) — Enforcement of data center water-use reporting requirements ksat.com →
- Statewide — Order to pause data center permits for audit cnbc.com →
- Statewide — Halt on Texas data center permits politico.com →
- Statewide — Data Center Permit Halt news.google.com →
- Statewide · Executive directive (Gov. Abbott) — Freeze on new data center grid connections pending audit gov.texas.gov →
- Statewide · Statewide moratorium on data centers until a condition is met — Governor's directive pausing ERCOT data center interconnection pending an audit (not a construction ban) texastribune.org →
- Statewide · Governor's directive to TCEQ (Sept. 21, 2026) — Halt on state environmental permits for data center projects pending audits gov.texas.gov →
- Statewide · SB2888 — Relating to the temporary sales and use tax exemptions for certain tangible personal property related to data centers and large data center projects. capitol.texas.gov →
- Abbott — Abbott halts new Texas data center permits pending ERCOT audit datacenterdynamics.com →
- Athens — Local moratorium on data centers with no end date kltv.com →
- Austin County — Moratorium on AI data centers and battery energy storage systems kwhi.com →
- Bell County (Murray Industries construction moratorium) — Bell County (Murray Industries construction moratorium) data center moratorium wymt.com →
- Brownsville — Brownsville starts 90-day data center moratorium process utrgvrider.com →
- El Paso — Local moratorium on data centers with no end date elpasomatters.org →
- Harlingen — Local moratorium on data centers for a stated term krgv.com →
- Hill County Commissioners Court (first Texas county data center moratorium), TX — Hill County Commissioners Court (first Texas county data center moratorium), TX data center moratorium texastribune.org →
- Lewisville — Local moratorium on data centers with no end date keranews.org →
- Milam County — County moratorium on data centers multistate.us →
- Princeton — Local moratorium on data centers with no end date princetonherald.com →
- San Marcos — Zoning ban on data centers texastribune.org →
- Killeen — Killeen leaders work to craft data center zoning requirements as Texas moratorium pauses new projects news.google.com →
- Austin — Proposed local moratorium on data centers kut.org →
- Corpus Christi — Proposed local moratorium on data centers kristv.com →
- Denton — Proposed local moratorium on data centers cbsnews.com →
- Forney — Proposed local moratorium on data centers with no end date inforney.com →
- Fort Worth — Proposed 90-day data center moratorium keranews.org →
- Lubbock — Citizen-petitioned 18-month data center moratorium tpr.org →
- Mesquite — Proposed local moratorium on data centers keranews.org →
- Taylor — Taylor Set To Decide On Annexation, Zoning For Data Center bisnow.com →
- Hays County — Hays County data center moratorium (failed) kut.org →
- Hill County — One-year data center moratorium (rescinded) texastribune.org →
- Hood County — Hood County data center moratorium (failed) texastribune.org →
- San Antonio — Data center moratorium not pursued sacurrent.com →
- Tom Green County — Rejected county moratorium on data centers sanangelolive.com →
What does bind large loads in Texas
A moratorium is only one way a data center gets stopped. The grid operator decides whether it can connect at all, and on what terms. Texas sits in 4 footprints.
ERCOTDominant
New data-center interconnections paused pending a queue audit due December 2026.
SPP
Speed in exchange for curtailability under the approved HILL framework.
MISO
Faster parallel studies and a co-located generation fast track, not a pause.
Non-RTO utility territory
No RTO or ISO market here. Interconnection terms, study queues and curtailment rights for a large load are set by the individual utility and its state commission.
ERCOT ~90% of state load (ERCOT profile); Panhandle/South Plains (Xcel-SPS) and a NE corner in SPP; southeast TX (Entergy Texas) in MISO; El Paso Electric in WECC, non-RTO.
States next door
4 of the 4 states bordering Texas have at least one data-center measure on record. Restrictions tend to travel between neighbors, so this is usually where the next one comes from.
Data centers in Texas
The US Data Center Map identifies 446 facilities run by 125 operators in Texas, each one placed from primary sources and listed by city and by operator, with the measures on this page beside them.
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How to read this page
In force = a moratorium, siting restriction, or tax-incentive rollback that is currently enacted, by statute or executive order. Paused = a temporary hold on new incentives or applications. Proposed = introduced and still pending. Failed / vetoed = died in committee, was voted down, or was vetoed.
This page is generated from the same primary-sourced dataset as the national U.S. Data Center Moratorium Tracker and is re-checked on the same weekly cycle, whether or not anything changed. Legislative status changes quickly; it is informational, not legal advice. Spot something out of date in Texas? Tell us.
Companion references: the Data Center Grid Operator Watchlist for the interconnection and curtailment rules that bind here, the Data Center Water Tracker for water mandates, and the Data Center Delay Watchlist for named projects.
Why Texas is pushing back
The objections repeat from state to state: strain on the electric grid, water drawn for cooling, and the sense that a facility takes local resources without giving much back. SAVRN builds AI factories designed around those three objections: on-site power that does not lean on the public grid, direct-to-chip cooling that does not consume municipal water, and a training institute that puts local people to work inside the building.
See how a SAVRN factory works Talk to us about a Texas site