Public data · Free to use
Texas Data Center Power Rules: Large-Load Tariffs and State Law
How Texas’s utilities and lawmakers handle data-center-sized power requests: 2 utilities and 3 state measures, compiled from public filings, with a source on every entry.
Last checked October 22, 2026All states
Utilities
Texas utilities and their large-load rules.
CenterPoint Energy Houston Electric
TX · ERCOT · CenterPoint Energy
ApprovedSep 2026PUCT large-load interconnection rule (16 TAC §25.194) under Senate Bill 6
Large loads in the Houston area follow the statewide Texas rule on site control, study charges and financial security, plus CenterPoint's own load data request.
- Applies to: 75 MW or more at a single ERCOT site
- Posts $50,000 per MW of requested capacity as security before interconnection studies
- Proof of site control and a study charge
- Utility load interconnection data request form required for study
Sources: White & Case, PUCT sets financial commitments for data center interconnection as governor pauses permit approvals (2026); CenterPoint Energy Houston Electric, Load Interconnection Data Request Form (n.d.)
Oncor Electric Delivery
TX · ERCOT · Sempra
ApprovedSep 2026PUCT large-load interconnection rule (16 TAC §25.194) under Senate Bill 6
Large loads in Oncor's area follow the statewide Texas rule, which requires site control and $50,000 per MW in security before studies start.
- Applies to: 75 MW or more at a single ERCOT site
- Posts $50,000 per MW of requested capacity as security before interconnection studies
- Proof of site control and a study charge
- Must disclose on-site backup generation
- Noncritical loads must be able to curtail during emergencies
Sources: White & Case, PUCT sets financial commitments for data center interconnection as governor pauses permit approvals (2026); Oncor Electric Delivery, Oncor Reports Second Quarter 2026 Results (2026)
State law and regulation
Texas laws and rulemakings.
in review · 2026-08
Governor's data center audit directive (August 2026)
Directs the PUCT and ERCOT to audit data center projects in the interconnection process, covering power use, water, incentives and ownership, before more advance.
enacted · 2026-09
PUCT large-load interconnection rule, 16 TAC §25.194 (2026)
Requires ERCOT loads of 75 MW or more to post $50,000 per MW of requested capacity as security before interconnection studies begin.
enacted · 2025-06
Senate Bill 6 (2025)
ERCOT loads of 75 MW or more must show site control, pay a study fee of at least $100,000, disclose backup generation and be able to curtail in emergencies.
What this can and can’t tell you
The rules are public. Whether your site can get power isn’t.
Anyone could pull these filings; we compile them so they’re easy to find. Terms change often, so confirm them with the utility or the commission docket before relying on them.
Going deeper: Data Center Site Selection in Texas: Grids, SB 6, Water and Incentives
This tracker · Public, free
- A utility’s published rules for large new loads
- The same answer for every site in that utility’s territory
- What the terms are if power is available
- Compiled from filings anyone can read
A BlackForge report · Site-specific
- Whether a specific parcel can actually be served, and roughly when
- Substation headroom and the realistic connection path
- Gas, water, fiber, buildable land and zoning, checked together
- Built and refreshed for your load, your timeline and your parcels
Cite this tracker
BlackForge Data Centers. "Texas data center power rules," Large-Load Power Tracker. Last checked October 22, 2026. https://www.blackforgedatacenters.com/data-center-power-tracker/texas
Free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 with credit.
Need the answer for a specific site in Texas?
Parcel-level screening and verification, built for your load and timeline.