Amazon’s Texas AI data center faces a huge climate problem: 7.65GW gas plant could become America’s biggest source of CO₂ emissions in the US as tech giant races to power the AI boom

Amazon’s AI ambitions are colliding with its climate goals as the company builds a massive data center in Pecos County, Texas, alongside a dedicated natural gas power plant.

According to a New York Times report published August 8, permits for the project show that the natural gas plant could generate up to 7.65 gigawatts of electricity using 35 turbines. The plant has reportedly been authorized to release about 33 million tons of CO₂ annually, potentially making it the largest single source of planet-warming emissions from a U.S. power plant.

The project highlights the enormous amount of electricity required to support the AI boom, as technology companies race to build increasingly powerful data centers.


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Amazon’s climate pledge under pressure

The development also raises questions about Amazon’s commitment to its 2040 net-zero target. Amazon co-founded The Climate Pledge in 2019, promising to reach net-zero carbon emissions across its global operations by 2040. However, its emissions have risen in recent years as the company expands its data center infrastructure to meet growing AI demand.

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Amazon spokeswoman Margaret Callahan acknowledged that circumstances have changed since the pledge was created. “The world looks different now than when we co-founded the climate pledge,”

Callahan said, while insisting: “our commitment hasn’t changed.”

Why natural gas is powering the AI race

Amazon isn’t alone in turning to dedicated power generation. Data center operators are increasingly pursuing “behind-the-meter” power because connecting enormous new facilities to the grid can take years.

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Natural gas offers a relatively fast and scalable option, although it comes with a substantial carbon footprint.

Other tech companies are exploring cleaner alternatives, including nuclear and renewable energy. But as AI demand continues to surge, the Texas project shows the difficult choice Big Tech faces: how to build the computing infrastructure needed for AI without undermining its climate promises.

The issue could become even more significant as AI data center construction accelerates across the U.S. With grid connections taking years in some regions, more technology companies may turn to on-site natural gas generation to secure reliable power quickly. That could help meet the AI industry's rapidly growing electricity needs, but it also risks increasing carbon emissions and putting additional pressure on Big Tech to prove that its climate commitments can keep pace with its AI expansion.