The rapid expansion of data centers in Texas is driving electricity demand higher during the winter, compounding the risk of supply shortfalls that could lead to blackouts during freezing temperatures.

The Lone Star state is attracting a huge amount of data center requests, driven by its abundant renewable energy and natural gas resources as well as its business friendly environment. OpenAI, for example, is developing its flagship Stargate campus in Abilene , about 150 miles west of Dallas-Forth Worth. The campus could require up to 1.2 gigawatts of power , the equivalent of a large nuclear plant.

The North American Electric Relibaility Corporation warned this week that data centers' round-the-clock energy consumption will make it more difficult to sustain sufficient electricity supp

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