Texas freezes new data center permits amid a surging grid queue

a16z says Texas froze new data center permits after its large-load grid queue grew from 63 GW at the end of 2024 to 474 GW by June 2026, about 90% of it data centers. Its analysis argues that duplicate and speculative requests make it harder to plan grid upgrades without leaving ratepayers to cover costs for projects that never materialize. It urges Texas to exempt projects that have funded their first phase and generators permitted only for emergencies.