El Paso Approves Natural Gas Plant for Meta's $1.5 Billion Data Center
El Paso has approved a 366-megawatt natural gas plant, McCloud, to power Meta's $1.5 billion data center, which is set to begin construction in October 2025. While the city aims for significant emission reductions by 2030 and net zero by 2050, local advocates are concerned that the gas plant, connected exclusively to the data center for its first five years, may contradict these environmental goals. The McCloud plant is pending approvals from state regulatory agencies and is expected to be operational by 2027.
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In October 2025, El Paso officials celebrated the groundbreaking of a $1.5 billion, 1-gigawatt data center for Meta. El Paso Electric is seeking approval for a 366-megawatt natural gas plant, named McCloud, to power this center.
Local advocates express concerns over rising utility rates and air pollution. Despite Meta's commitment to renewable energy, the gas plant will be exclusively connected to the data center for the first five years.
The city entered an agreement with Meta in December 2023 for property tax incentives. The McCloud plant requires approvals from the Public Utility Commission and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and is expected to be operational by 2027. The city aims to achieve 50 percent emission reductions by 2030 and net zero by 2050, but the new gas plant could hinder these goals.
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