The Taylor City Council voted unanimously on Oct 8 to adopt a 20‑year annexation agreement for the 664‑acre Taylor Technology Campus, a data‑center and on‑site power project located east of the city between FM 112 and U.S. 79.

Developers Big Watt Digital and PowerHouse Data Centers plan a phased build‑out that could reach 1 GW of capacity, beginning with 500 MW of data‑center power and a possible additional 500 MW later.

The annexation gives the city authority to regulate water use, noise, setbacks and air quality on the currently unincorporated site.

Mayor Jim Buzan said the terms represent the best path forward and noted that the developers accepted standards on noise, water use and setbacks.

Developers will fund upgrades to Taylor’s reclaimed‑water infrastructure, pay for utility‑line connections and have withdrawn their wastewater discharge permit application to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

Construction is targeted for 2027‑2029, with first power expected in the first half of 2028; groundbreaking is not anticipated before 2027.

The agreement includes about $28.2 million in community investments, of which more than $10 million is earmarked for the Taylor Independent School District and related student programs.

A joint developer statement said the vote aligns the campus with Governor Greg Abbott’s statewide data‑center standards.

Regulatory environment

Governor Abbott directed the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to pause all data‑center permits until the Electric Reliability Council of Texas completes an audit, expected by mid‑December 2026; the order does not exempt projects with on‑site generation.

At the time of the council vote, it was unclear how the statewide pause would affect the Taylor campus, although developers had already withdrawn their discharge permit application.

Upcoming steps

The annexation agreement establishes the regulatory framework, but a general contractor has not yet been selected; developers will continue engineering and financing work ahead of the 2027 construction start.