A visionary multi-gigawatt energy campus is under development in Texas, strategically situated near the US government’s principal nuclear weapons development facility.
Rick Perry, the former Texas Governor and US energy secretary, through his company Fermi America, is collaborating with the Texas Tech University System (TTU System) on this ambitious project located near Amarillo in the Texas Panhandle.
The proposed Advanced Energy and Intelligence Campus will span 5,800 acres, featuring 18 million square feet of data centres and aims to produce up to 11GW of IT capacity.
This will be achieved using a blend of natural gas, solar, wind and sustainable nuclear energy.
Fermi America’s role is providing essential infrastructure energy solutions for the initiative.
Preliminary geotechnical work is already underway, with projections to deliver 1GW of power by the closing of 2026.
Contrasting scales and ambitions
Positioned in the heart of Texas, the project’s scale matches the state’s reputation for grand initiatives.
The campus, as explained by Fermi, will 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” to serve hyperscale data centre enterprises.
The strategic location is noteworthy, being close to Pantax – America’s primary nuclear weapons assembly site – at the junction of several of the country’s largest gas pipelines and on one of the largest known natural gas fields.
Fermi has submitted federal applications for constructing a nuclear power complex with four 1GW reactors, planning to initiate construction the following year and commence the nuclear plant’s initial phase by 2032.
Positioning Texas as the energy-AI nucleus
Ben Sooter, Program Manager at Electric Power Research Institute, says: “This isn’t just a data centre – it’s an energy megahub, constructed from the ground up to fuel the ensuing era of AI.
“With escalating global tensions and surging compute demand, Texas is claiming its status as the energy-AI capital of the world.
“Is this the juncture where AI infrastructure becomes sovereign-scale? Or is Texas simply at the forefront of this charge?”
Propelling towards energy dominance
The campus is designed not only to fulfill the rising demands for energy and data centres but also addresses geopolitical challenges.
Rick says: “The Chinese are currently constructing 22 nuclear reactors,” referencing the broader competitive market.
“We must intensify our efforts, and it’s a comprehensive endeavor. President Trump’s inaugural executive order addressed energy concerns, emphasising the necessity of maintaining America’s energy dominance.
“Texas demonstrates unrivaled competence in energy, with Fermi America and the Texas Tech University System responding to this call.”
Empowering education alongside infrastructure
“The Texas Tech University System is honored to join Fermi America in this monumental undertaking,” says TTU System Chancellor Tedd L. Mitchell.
Declaring Texas as the world’s energy capital, he highlights the campus as both the most extensive energy and data complex of its nature and a testament to the resilience of their system, the Texas Panhandle and the state itself.
Furthermore, the campus incorporates an academic and research facility with office, classroom and conference amenities.
According to the TTU System, the project enriches academic and research prospects for faculty and students through internships, employment and workforce training programs benefiting all five TTU System institutions.
TTU President Lawrence Schovanec says: “This collaboration not only positions Texas Tech to adapt to the changing demands of the energy and technology sectors but also provides substantial educational opportunities for our students and research avenues across various disciplines for our faculty.”
