Texas Orders Mandatory Audit of Data Centers Before Grid InterconnectionGovernor Abbott has instructed state utility regulators to freeze new grid connections for data center developments until in depth operational audits are conducted. In a directive issued to the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), Abbott specified that every pending facility must undergo rigorous verification before receiving authorization to connect to the state power grid. Strict Disclosure Criteria for Pending FacilitiesTo satisfy the new audit criteria, data center operators must submit documentation detailing their operational footprint. Grid Capacity Pressures Drive Regulatory PauseThe regulatory intervention arrives as energy requests from technology infrastructure reach unprecedented levels across Texas. It Could Not Come at a Worse TimeState leadership warned that unmonitored load growth of this magnitude poses severe risks to power grid resilience.