Austin, TX — Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has endorsed new data center standards in Texas designed to address concerns involving the state’s electric grid, water resources, infrastructure costs and government subsidies.
The standards put forward by Gov. Greg Abbott call for the Public Utility Commission of Texas and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas to review data center projects and ensure companies pay for their own electric infrastructure, reuse water and reduce their reliance on government subsidies.
Meta said Monday that it supports the standards and already pays the full costs associated with energy used by its data centers, along with its water and wastewater usage.
“Whether it’s creating jobs, growing opportunities for local businesses, or improving energy and water infrastructure, we’re committed to strengthening communities and paying our own way,” Meta said.
Abbott said the standards are intended to prevent data centers from passing costs on to Texas families while protecting the electric grid, conserving water and addressing impacts on surrounding communities.
According to Abbott, Meta joins OpenAI, Amazon, Google and QTS in agreeing to comply with the new Texas standards.
The issue has received increased attention amid concerns from Texans over electricity costs, water consumption and the potential impact of rapidly expanding data center development on the state’s power grid.