Michael Cuviello
Amarillo Globe-News
The Texas Tech University System is partnering with Fermi America to build what officials say will be the world’s largest advanced energy and artificial intelligence campus, a first-of-its-kind development just outside Amarillo.
The planned Advanced Energy and Intelligence Campus will span approximately 5,800 acres near the Pantex Plant and include 18 million square feet of AI data centers, powered by up to 11 gigawatts of electricity from nuclear, solar, wind, and natural gas sources.
“The Texas Tech University System is proud to partner with Fermi America on this historic endeavor,” said Chancellor Tedd Mitchell. “Texas is the energy capital of the world, and this campus will not only be the largest energy and data complex of its kind, but also a testament to the unshakable spirit of our system, the Texas Panhandle and this great state.”
The facility will integrate multiple power sources on an unprecedented scale, including nuclear energy, a combined-cycle natural gas plant, solar generation, utility grid access and battery storage.
Though located near the Pantex Plant — a Department of Energy facility and Superfund site — officials have not said whether the new campus will include an on-site nuclear reactor. The Texas Tech University System has also not disclosed projected water or electricity usage. Large-scale AI campuses have drawn increasing scrutiny for their environmental footprint.
