El Paso Approves Natural Gas Plant for Meta's $1.5 Billion Data Center
DATA AND AI INFRASTRUCTURE
El Paso has approved a 366-megawatt natural gas plant, McCloud, to power Meta's $1.5 billion data center, which is set to begin construction in October 2025. While the city aims for significant emission reductions by 2030 and net zero by 2050, local advocates are concerned that the gas plant, connected exclusively to the data center for its first five years, may contradict these environmental goals. The McCloud plant is pending approvals from state regulatory agencies and is expected to be operational by 2027.
Jan 23, 2026, 6:14 AM
