ERCOT counts 245 data-center projects seeking 166 gigawatts in Texas review

All 245 large-load projects in ERCOT’s data-center review answered its questionnaire, representing about 166 gigawatts of requested capacity, according to a November 5, 2026 preliminary summary described by the South Shore Press. The findings advance a review tied to Texas’s existing restrictions on grid connections and environmental permits.

ERCOT, the state’s grid operator, defines these large loads as projects seeking at least 75 megawatts. Its questionnaire total covers a narrower group than the much larger pipeline figure Governor Greg Abbott’s office cited in August.

Why the two demand totals differ

Abbott’s office put pending grid-connection requests at roughly 474 gigawatts, attributing about 90% to data centers. That figure covered the broader pipeline of large requests, including projects outside the data-center industry. The 166-gigawatt figure covers data-center projects that received and completed ERCOT’s questionnaire.

The totals measure different populations, not a before-and-after change in demand. Neither is a forecast of how much capacity will ultimately be built.

The review controls more than grid access

On August 3, Abbott directed the Public Utility Commission and ERCOT to audit data-center projects before they advanced through the grid-connection process. Projects failing the requirements were to be refused connections. A September 21 directive also ordered the environmental regulator to stop granting data-center-related permits until ERCOT completed its review.

The environmental regulator told Abbott on October 19 that it was screening pending applications and suspending some authorizations that normally require no affirmative approval. ERCOT is targeting December 10, 2026, for its final report. That is a report target, not a guaranteed date for approvals to restart.

A proposed moratorium would set a different endpoint

Gina Hinojosa led Abbott by more than 700,000 votes in unofficial returns as of November 8, the South Shore Press reported. She campaigned for an immediate statewide data-center moratorium until lawmakers establish protections giving communities a say over proposed facilities.

That remains a campaign proposal, not an enacted restriction. Abbott’s permit pause is tied to completing the grid review; Hinojosa’s proposed moratorium would depend on legislation. She also called for ending data-center subsidies and protecting households from industry-related electricity-bill increases.