Senate Rivals Address Data Center Costs

Who pays for data centers’ power and water is a policy question in Texas’ U.S. Senate race, with candidates outlining plans ahead of November’s election.

Republican Ken Paxton supports requiring the industry to cover its infrastructure costs, use efficient water systems and lose state sales tax breaks. He supports legislation allowing data centers to build independent power systems.

Democrat James Talarico says large energy users should pay for improvements instead of passing costs to consumers. He supports federal standards and giving communities a role in deciding whether to accept a project.

Libertarian Ted Brown opposes taxpayer subsidies and using eminent domain to force property sales for data centers. He says projects should have plans for power and water that protect existing users.

For West Texas, these are proposals about utility costs, land and development. They are campaign positions, not guarantees that a project will be approved or rejected. Early voting begins October 19.

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