Amazon's new Texas AI data center could become the biggest CO2 polluter in
the US 7.65GW facility gets permit to spread 33 million tons of annual greenhouse gases, despite Amazon's clean energy pledge

Date:
Tue, 11 Aug 2026 22:40:00 +0000

Description:
Amazons planned Texas AI data center could emit 33 million tons of CO annually, exceeding the emissions of Americas largest polluter.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Amazons Texas AI project could become Americas largest power plant polluter The facility could release 33 million tons of CO annually Amazon plans to install 35 gas turbines capable
of producing 7.65 GW Amazon has confirmed plans to invest in a natural gas power plant that will supply electricity to a huge new AI data center in Texas.

A New York Times report claims the facility, located in Pecos County, would use 35 natural gas turbines to generate up to 7.65GW of power for the site. Regulatory permits indicate the plant could release up to 33 million tons of CO into the atmosphere each year. Latest Videos From TechRadar Watch full video here: Largest single source of CO pollution in the US The scale of
those emissions would make the Texas plant the single largest source of CO pollution from any power plant in the United States.

By comparison, the country's current worst offender, the coal-burning James
H. Miller Jr. Power Plant in Alabama, emits roughly 16 million tons of CO annually. You may like Amazon reveals it used more energy than New Zealand in 2025 as its carbon footprint rises 16% Amazon reportedly uses 45-year-old rules to get around AI data center opposition 200 US utility firms join Trump electricity pledge not to pass on energy price rises to customers

Amazon had pledged to eliminate its planet-warming emissions by 2040 under a voluntary agreement known as the Climate Pledge.

The company co-founded that particular coalition in 2019, alongside more than 700 other large global businesses. Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed! Contact me with news
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Despite that pledge, Amazon's own emissions have continued climbing every year, a trend the company links to the rapid expansion of AI infrastructure.

"The world looks different now than when we co-founded the climate pledge," said Margaret Callahan, an Amazon spokeswoman, in a recent statement.

She insisted that the company remained fully and genuinely committed to reducing emissions across all of its global business operations. What to read next OpenAI is spending $30 billion on a new mega 3.2 GW data center in Georgia The data center debate rumbles on - here are the numbers behind
People Over Profit The new battle ground for scaling and protecting margins: AI servers set to consume more power than every conventional data center by 2027 Gas power is fast becoming the industry's default choice Amazon is far from alone in choosing gas power over ordinary electricity grid connections
to fuel its rapidly expanding AI ambitions.

Industry analysts say hyperscale companies are increasingly building
dedicated on-site power plants rather than waiting years to connect new data centers to overloaded electricity grids.

Were going to see an explosion of off-grid gas projects, Amazons plan could
be a foreshadowing of whats to come, said Michael Thomas, founder of Cleanview.

Environmental groups have raised alarms about both the local and global consequences of such large-scale gas burning near residential communities.

"It's going to absolutely have a huge impact on the environment and public health," said Kathryn Guerra, a campaign director at Public Citizen.

Unfortunately, the Trump administration has actively encouraged this shift toward fossil-fuel-powered data centers, favouring oil, natural gas and coal over renewable energy sources.

Other tech firms are pursuing alternative routes, including Microsoft 's nuclear deal at Three Mile Island and Meta's push toward securing 1GW of orbital solar capacity but gas seems to remain the preferred route. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.



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