Texas

Civic/Governance Barriers activates on moratorium-class action (C1), litigation/recall pathway (C4), meaningful 2026 race (C3) — governance instruments on the electoral, legislative, and regulatory surface (protocol §10; Overview Civic breakout). All four of the state's active lenses are stressed. Energy/Power dominates (ERCOT's isolated grid, SB 6 kill-switch/backup rules, Dallas ~10 GW by 2030) (GridReadiness). Water/Geology is central (a House Natural Resources charge on total data-center water use; San Marcos ban cited water strain) (Texas Dispatch, USA Today). Capital Flows is a dominant stressor: SB 6's cost-allocation, Abbott's directive to end cost-shifting and cut residential transmission costs, the $100M Hill County takings suit, and previewed legislation to revisit tax incentives all price who bears data-center costs and stranded-asset/legal risk (Office of the Governor — Abbott directive letter to PUCT/ERCOT, Texas Tribune (Hill County $100M suit), K&L Gates). Talent/Workforce persists given the sheer scale of Texas construction/operations buildout (GridReadiness).

2026 Governor: data centers have become a defining statewide campaign issue. Incumbent Greg Abbott has shifted from courting AI load to directing regulators to block cost-shifts, pledging 2027 repeal of data-center sales-tax exemptions, and calling to prohibit new AI data centers in rural Texas neighborhoods; Democratic nominee Gina Hinojosa is campaigning on local-consent and public-interest permit screens as rural water/grid backlash spills into the midterm (Texas Tribune, AP, Express-News). Agriculture Commissioner race: Republican challengers have centered 'stop AI data centers' messaging as a rural-base test.

No statewide moratorium. Local action is intense but legally fraught (Texas counties are Dillon's-rule with limited authority): Hill County passed a one-year moratorium May 12, 2026 (3-2), then rescinded it June 4-5, 2026 after developer RCM Hill sued for $100M in federal court, replacing it with a disclosure checklist (Texas Tribune, K&L Gates). Hood County's proposed six-month moratorium failed twice (3-2) after Sen. Paul Bettencourt sought an AG opinion (Salon). San Marcos effectively BANNED data centers via a zoning amendment adopted June 16, 2026 (4-3) — the first Texas city to do so (USA Today). Somervell County passed a resolution opposing new data centers pending state guidance (KERA).

Yes — SB 6 (enacted June 2025) is being implemented in 2026: it requires large loads (~75 MW+) to pay their share of transmission/interconnection costs, install ERCOT-controllable disconnect ('kill switch') equipment, and (>75 MW) maintain on-site backup generation and emergency operations plans; PUCT is writing detailed rules due December 2026 (GridReadiness, VIOTAS). On June 10, 2026, Gov. Abbott directed PUCT/ERCOT to make data centers bear full power-infrastructure costs (protecting residential ratepayers), reduce residential transmission costs by July 31, and submit a joint memo by July 17 (Arushi Sharma Frank, LinkedIn/Perrow). PUCT approved ERCOT's 'Batch Zero' large-load study framework June 18, 2026 (model submissions due July 10) (kucoin/ERCOT, Cliff).

None identified. Ballotpedia's 2026 data-center ballot-measure roundup lists CA, MI, NV and WI but not Texas; no TX data-center measure surfaced (USA Today).

Provident Data Centers ~300-acre proposal, north Hillsboro (Hill County) — the trigger for the (rescinded) moratorium and the RCM Hill $100M suit over ~800 acres of purchase rights (Brockovich AI DC Reporting, K&L Gates). Hood County: ~8 proposed data centers (incl. Comanche Circle) local officials feel 'powerless' to stop (Salon). Dallas County: projected ~10 GW of large loads by 2030, Dallas overtaking Northern Virginia as the top U.S. market (GridReadiness).

Present as a secondary domain given the scale of construction and operations across the state's clusters, though 2026 debate centered on power, water and cost allocation rather than a distinct labor-organizing or jobs-delivered dispute (GridReadiness).

Major hub — the largest and fastest-growing U.S. market; Dallas has overtaken Northern Virginia, with Dallas County alone projecting ~10 GW of large loads by 2030 and dense clusters statewide (GridReadiness).

"Data centers must bring their own power, they must use their own water, and they must reduce electricity costs for residential customers as well as small business customers. Those are bottom line expectations." — Gov. Greg Abbott (Daily Signal).

Texas Tribune — Hill County rescinds; K&L Gates — Hill County repeal; USA Today — San Marcos ban/poll; Salon — Hood County; GridReadiness — SB 6/Dallas hub; kucoin/ERCOT — Batch Zero; Office of the Governor — Abbott directive letter (PUCT/ERCOT); KERA — RPT priority; Texas Tribune — TX guide