Oil and gas regulator Wayne Christian today applauded Governor Greg Abbott’s expanded directive requiring the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) to conduct a comprehensive audit of all data center projects moving through ERCOT’s interconnection process, calling it a critical step toward developing a state plan to responsibly guide data center expansion. “The bottom line is this: We need a Texas plan for data centers, and that starts with getting the facts straight. I applaud Governor Abbott’s expanded directive requiring a comprehensive state audit of the power, water, and community impacts of proposed ERCOT data center connections to ensure Texas stays ahead of this unprecedented demand for power. Rural Texas is in decline, and these projects could represent an incredible opportunity to revitalize our communities. At the same time, no data center project should come at the expense of grid reliability or Texas’ natural resources.