Tech companies build private power plants for AI data centers across U.S., bypassing public grid; GW Ranch project in West Texas to consume more power than Chicago, raising carbon emission concerns

Silicon Valley is building a shadow power grid for data centers across the U.S.

Democracy Dies in DarknessTech companies are building data centers with their own private power plants, a risky bet that will increase carbon emissions and other pollution.February 19, 2026 at 5:00 a.m. ESTToday at 5:00 a.m. ESTA rendering of the GW Ranch data center project in West Texas, which shows natural gas and solar plants installed on-site. (Pacifico Energy)The GW Ranch project approved on 8,000 windswept acres of West Texas will look like many of the other data centers that have sprung ...