Amazon is backing an off-grid AI data center campus in Pecos County, West Texas, supplied by a 7.65 GW natural gas plant being developed by Pacifico Energy. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has permitted the plant to emit up to 33 million tons of CO2 a year, a legal ceiling that, if fully used, would be about double the roughly 16 million tons emitted by the James H. Miller Jr. coal plant in Alabama, currently the dirtiest U.S. power station. Amazon said the site will rely on new on-site generation that won’t raise electricity costs for Texas families because it is initially disconnected from the ERCOT grid. Land clearing was visible in late July 2026, three Texas building permits were filed in early August 2026 and first power is targeted for Q1 2027. The development deepens pressure on Amazon's Climate Pledge after the company disclosed a 16% rise in emissions last year, even as CEO Andy Jassy pointed investors to roughly $200 billion of 2026 capital spending tied largely to AI and AWS grew 37% year over year in the second quarter. The project also reflects a broader move toward behind-the-meter power as AI developers work around grid bottlenecks, amid rising political scrutiny in states including New York and Texas.