$165 Billion Data Center project Approved for El Paso, Raising Questions About Regional impact and National Trends
EL PASO, TX – A massive $165 billion data center project, dubbed ”Project Jupiter,” has received approval to move forward in El Paso County, sparking both excitement and concern about its potential impact on the region and the broader national landscape of AI infrastructure. The project, discussed in a recent El Paso Matters podcast featuring reporter Diego Cervantes, promises significant investment but also raises questions about water usage, utility infrastructure, and the sustainability of the current data center building boom.
The approval comes amidst a flurry of data center development across the country, fueled by the growing demand for artificial intelligence. Cervantes noted the sheer scale of Project Jupiter, stating he hadn’t “seen a project bigger then the $165 billion project here just at one site.”
However, the transition isn’t without complexities. cervantes highlighted outstanding questions regarding the division of the current utility serving the area, specifically the water supply agreement with CRRUA. “There are still a lot of questions about when is this split realy going to happen? What will it mean for customers, both commercial and residential?” he explained.He anticipates the county will likely take over the water supply,but details remain unclear.
Concerns also exist regarding openness from the developers. Cervantes expressed worry that construction could begin with limited public facts, noting the company’s lack of openness during the approval process. “I think we could see construction begin and it might just be a very quiet operation out there that just kind of proceeds and we don’t hear too much about,” he said.
Beyond the local implications, Cervantes raised broader questions about the sustainability of the current investment surge. “Are we seeing a bubble? We’re seeing this almost mind-boggling amount of investment in data centers around the country…Have we gone too far? At what point is too much? Also, how it’ll play out for the companies and whether it’ll be profitable and all that.Are we heading for another dot com bust?”
El Paso Matters plans to continue covering the development of Project Jupiter, providing updates as construction progresses and more information becomes available. Residents can follow Cervantes’ reporting and other local news at elpasomatters.org.