Texas Gov. Halts New Data Center Permits Amid Electricity Audit

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott expanded a moratorium on new data centers, ordering the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to halt environmental permits and block connections to the state grid until an ERCOT electricity-use audit is completed (potentially through December). He also directed the Texas Water Development Board to crack down on data-center water use and signaled a move to cut incentives for the industry, framing the measure as putting Texans first amid concerns over power and water costs ahead of the November election.