Texas Standard for Aug. 25, 2026: West Texas power line fight grows as data center demand surges

Texas Standard for Aug. 25, 2026: West Texas power line fight grows as data center demand surges

After the deadly 2021 winter storms and blackouts, Texas planned a massive expansion of high-voltage transmission lines to strengthen the grid, particularly in fast-growing West Texas. But now, landowners and a bipartisan group of lawmakers are now pushing back against the projects as data centers add to projected electricity demand.