Amazon is quietly attempting to build the largest gas power plant in the country. According to the Distilled newsletter, the megacorporation has acquired land and permits in Pecos County, Texas, for an AI data center powered by a 7.65 gigawatt gas power plant. The site, known as GW Ranch, has received a state permit allowing it to emit 33 million tons of carbon dioxide.

This scale of emissions would make the site the biggest pollution source in the U.S., surpassing the country's largest coal power plant. This move stands in sharp contrast to Amazon’s commitment to reach net-zero emissions by 2040 as part of The Climate Pledge.

While Amazon claims the facility will use non-potable brackish groundwater, the project faces growing public opposition. Data centers are increasingly unpopular across the country due to concerns regarding utility rates, blackouts, and environmental impacts. As land clearing has already begun, a significant backlash may follow.