WHEREAS, the pace of data center construction has exponentially increased across the United States and within Texas, driven by the increasing demand for digital infrastructure, data aggregation, artificial intelligence, cloud computing services, and cryptocurrency mining and related transaction settlement processes; and

WHEREAS, local resistance to data center projects has emerged across many states, including in Texas, due to concerns about the adverse impact of these massive projects on surrounding communities, the environment, public health, increased consumer costs, and local resources; and

WHEREAS, the power grid in Texas – managed by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) – is already under significant strain due to a rapidly increasing demand for electricity; and

WHEREAS, projection data indicate that, without expanded capacity and infrastructure investments, Texas could face substantial shortfalls in electricity generation and grid reliability over the next decade, raising risks of instability and increasingly higher energy costs for consumers; and

WHEREAS, rapid increases in electricity demand attributable to data centers have raised concerns among grid operators and regulators about how to balance large, continuous loads with the need to maintain reliable service for residential, agricultural, and business customers, especially during peak summer demand and extreme weather events; and

WHEREAS, Texas faces persistent water scarcity and drought conditions in many regions of the state, leading to constraints on municipal water supplies and to water management challenges for both agricultural and residential users; and

WHEREAS, data centers, particularly the larger facilities commonly known as hyperscalers, require substantial volumes of water for cooling; and

WHEREAS, estimates suggest that data center water use in Texas may reach tens of billions of gallons annually, with some projections indicating potential consumption of hundreds of billions of gallons by 2030, which represents a meaningful share of statewide water use amidst ongoing drought conditions; and

WHEREAS, current regulations in Texas provide only limited requirements for transparent reporting and planning related to water consumption by data centers, creating difficulty for communities and water planners to anticipate and manage future supply needs; now

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Republican Party of Texas:

  • Expresses our strong opposition to the establishment of additional open loop data centers in the State of Texas until comprehensive, enforceable safeguards are in place that protect electrical grid reliability, ensure responsible water use, and respect community resource and public health needs;
  • Calls for the Texas Legislature and relevant regulatory bodies to enact and enforce policies that require transparent reporting of both anticipated electricity and water demand for all proposed data center projects, with full disclosure to local and state planning authorities and the public before final approval;
  • Demands that no future data center project be approved without a rigorous, independent assessment of impacts on the state grid and regional water resources, which should include details demonstrating that the project would not degrade grid reliability or contribute to water shortages for households, farmers, and local industries;
  • Requests that state agencies adopt planning and regulatory standards that prioritize local resource sustainability, such as mandatory integration of water-efficient cooling technologies or utilization of waste or reclaimed water for cooling;
  • Asks the Texas Legislature to prioritize legislation that provides mechanisms for counties, municipalities, and other governing bodies to participate meaningfully in land and resource use decisions.