The Texas Tech University System and Fermi’s Plans are revealed for a huge energy campus in Texas with 11 GW of IT capacity from sources including nuclear
A multi-gigawatt energy campus is set to be developed by the Texas Tech University System and Fermi in Texas near the main nuclear weapons development facility of the US government.
Fermi America, led by former Texas Governor and US Energy Secretary Rick Perry, has teamed up with the Texas Tech University System (TTU System) for this initiative near Amarillo in the Texas Panhandle.
The Advanced Energy and Intelligence Campus will span 5,800 acres, housing 18 million square feet of data centres and generating up to 11 GW of IT capacity from natural gas, solar, wind and clean nuclear energy.
It says geotechnical work has already begun on the campus and it is expected to deliver 1GW of power by the end of 2026.
A big deal and a very big project
With its location in Texas, everything about the project is appropriately big and bold.
Fermi America aims to integrate “the largest nuclear power complex in America, the nation’s biggest combined-cycle natural gas project, utility grid power, solar power and battery energy storage” into a unified development catering to hyperscale data centre enterprises.
The location is strategic, lying close to Pantax, the US’s main nuclear weapons assembly facility, at the intersection of several of the nation’s largest gas pipelines and on one of the nation’s largest known natural gas fields.
Fermi America has filed a federal application to construct a nuclear power complex with four 1 GW reactors, eyeing development to commence in the upcoming year and the first operational phase of the nuclear plant by 2032.
‘The energy-AI capital of the world’
Ben Sooter, Program Manager, Electric Power Research Institute, says: “This isn’t just a data centre – it’s an energy megahub, built from scratch to power the next era of AI.
“With global tensions rising and compute demand exploding, this is Texas staking a claim as the energy-AI capital of the world.
“Is this the moment AI infrastructure goes sovereign-scale? Or is Texas simply leading the charge?”
Make America energy dominant
Besides addressing the escalating demand for energy and data centres, the campus carries a geopolitical dimension.
Former Texas Governor Rick said: “The Chinese are building 22 nuclear reactors today. We’re behind, and it’s all hands on deck.
“President Trump’s first executive order spoke to the energy issue and how we must continue to make America energy dominant.
“No one does energy better than Texas and Fermi America and the Texas Tech University System are answering the call.”
“The Texas Tech University System is proud to partner with Fermi America on this historic endeavour,” says TTU System Chancellor Tedd L. 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 campus plan also includes an academic and research facility featuring office, classroom and conference spaces.
TTU System says the project will provide academic and research opportunities for faculty and students, including internships, employment and workforce training and placement programmes that will benefit all five TTU System institutions.
“This collaboration will not only position Texas Tech to address the evolving demands of the energy and technology sectors but will also create meaningful educational opportunities for our students and research possibilities across many disciplines for our faculty,” says TTU President Lawrence Schovanec.
