Meta
to bring 366 MW of on-site gas power to 1 GW AI Campus in Texas...
Meta has announced plans to deploy modular natural gas generation to supply power for a new 1 GW data center campus in El Paso, Texas.
The deployment forms part of the company’s infrastructure plans for the site and is intended to support operations while grid connectivity is developed.
Onsite generation capacity: The campus will be supported by 366 MW of behind-the-meter modular natural gas generation, delivered via 813 individual modular units, to provide dedicated onsite power.
Capital investment: The modular gas generation build is estimated at approximately $473 million, with Meta funding the assets during an initial five-year operating period.
Timeline and footprint: The generators are expected to be deployed by 2027 as part of a broader development covering more than 1,000 acres, with the overall first phase of the data center project estimated at around $1.5 billion.
Questions around this for me:
1) At what point does temporary onsite generation become a semi-permanent feature of hyperscale campuses as interconnection queues continue to lengthen?
2) How are operators benchmarking the return on deploying hundreds of millions of dollars into interim power versus delaying load or downsizing initial phases?
3)How should modular gas assets be positioned contractually and technically to transition as grid, storage, or alternative generation options come online?
