Texas data center freeze was a myth: permits kept advancing after Abbott's pause

Watchdog groups found that Texas regulators kept processing data center permits after Gov. Greg Abbott's September 21, 2026 pause order. Public Citizen counted at least 16 permitting actions and FracTracker 35, including notices sent one day after the directive for projects that could emit 38 million tons of pollution a year.

• Public Citizen counted at least 16 permitting actions after the directive; FracTracker counted 35
• Notices for VoltaGrid, NRG and Nexus projects went out one day after the pause
• The three projects could emit up to 38 million tons of pollution per year
• Abbott received about $9 million from data-center-related donors since July 2025