Articles · Power and data centers
17 finished. None approved to energize.
ERCOT says some large loads have finished every process except approval to energize. Batch Zero classifications still depend on verification and model requirements.
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Finishing a grid study is not permission to switch on. ERCOT identified 17 large loads that had completed every process except approval to energize. Their combined peak demand over the stated period was 6,608 megawatts.
The Batch Zero verification process creates another distinction. A conditional classification is a place in the process subject to requirements, not an unconditional promise of capacity or an operating authorization.
The questionnaire has consequences
ERCOT requires information and documents through the transmission service provider, with notarized attestations from participating parties. A load may be removed if its entity fails to provide what the provider needs to respond on time.
The required evidence varies with the project's classification and the respondent's role. Conditional inclusion can also depend on correcting dynamic-model deficiencies or receiving a commission exception. Verification is not the only remaining condition.
Company disclosures add detail, not certainty
Galaxy's disclosure identifies its projects and their conditional classifications. It says Caspian was submitted as base load but classified as studied load. The company also discloses the risk that a project could be removed.
ERCOT's public classification notice names no individual load and gives no capacity total. The company account supplies project-specific information that the public market notice itself does not verify by name.
What would establish readiness
The relevant next records are completion of applicable conditions and explicit approval to energize. A queue label, a completed study and an operating approval describe different stages. This edition does not collapse them into a single cleared status.
Sources for this story
- ERCOT, RFI Portal in RIOO - Batch Zero Verification, User Guide for Transmission Service Providers (TSPs), Distribution Service Providers (DSPs), and Load Entities (ILLEs), Version 1.1
- ERCOT Updates: PUC Open Meeting, August 20, 2026, Good Cause Exceptions for PGRR 145, Batch Zero Verification and Audit Process, Community Impact Review Process
- ERCOT Market Notice M-A080326-04, Batch Zero Conditional Classification issued to Transmission and/or Distribution Service Providers
- Galaxy Provides Update on ERCOT Batch Zero Large Load Classifications
Claim-by-claim verification · 43 claims
ERCOT has issued a Request for Information and Production, which it calls the Verification RFI, as part of the Batch Zero Eligibility Verification process.
ERCOT has issued a Request for Information and Production (RFI, referred to as the Verification RFI) as part of the Batch Zero Eligibility Verification process.
The Verification RFI goes to every large load that was conditionally classified on the list ERCOT distributed to transmission service providers on September 3rd, 2026. It reaches those whose classification was one of the categories the guide lists.
This is being issued to all Large Loads that were conditionally classified on the list distributed to TSPs on Thursday, September 3, 2026, where the conditional classification was one of the following:
A response to the Verification RFI is due within ten business days of issuance, and an extension of five days may be requested from ERCOT through the transmission service provider.
Responses are due within 10 business days of issuance. A 5-day extension may be requested from ERCOT through your TSP.
A large load whose load entity does not supply the information or documents the provider needs to answer in time may be removed from the Batch Zero process.
If the Load Entity fails to provide information and/or supporting documentation necessary for the TSP to timely submit a completed response to this Verification RFI, the Large Load may be removed from the Batch Zero Process.
Each party taking part in a Verification RFI, the load entity, the distribution provider and the transmission provider, has to complete a notarized attestation.
Each participating party (ILLE, DSP, and TSP) is required to complete a notarized attestation.
The guide tells respondents their submissions will be treated as confidential to the extent the law permits.
All information submitted will be treated as confidential to the extent permitted by law.
Only the transmission service provider can send a completed Verification RFI to ERCOT, and once it is sent the response is locked against further editing.
It is the TSP’s responsibility to submit the fully completed Verification RFI to ERCOT. Only the TSP has the Submit to ERCOT button available. Once submitted, the Verification RFI is locked and cannot be edited.
Which sections and questions a respondent sees depends on their role and on the conditional classification the project was given in Batch Zero.
The sections and questions you see depend on your role and the Large Load Project’s conditional classification in Batch Zero.
The guide lists the base load conditional classifications that receive a Verification RFI, each keyed to a paragraph of Planning Guide Section 9.2.1.1(1).
• Base Load – Included in May 2026 QSZ/IVRT or earlier per ERCOT Planning Guide § 9.2.1.1(1)(c) • Base Load – Included in Permian Reliability Plan per Planning Guide § 9.2.1.1(1)(d) • Base Load – Advancing Large Load per Planning Guide § 9.2.1.1(1)(e) • Base Load – Committed Large Load per Planning Guide § 9.2.1.1(1)(f) • Base Load PURA §39.169 Net Metering Load per Planning Guide § 9.2.1.1(1)(g)
The same list continues with the studied load conditional classifications, firm, PCLR and WLPUN.
• Studied Load – Firm per Planning Guide § 9.2.1.1(1) • Studied Load – PCLR per Planning Guide §§ 9.2.1.1(1), 9.2.2.1 • Studied Load – WLPUN per Planning Guide §§ 9.2.1.1(1), 9.2.2.2
ERCOT told the utility commission it had paused approvals to energize large load data centers and crypto facilities until the Batch Zero eligibility verification is finished.
ERCOT has paused approvals to energize large load data centers and crypto facilities until the Batch Zero eligibility verification is complete
The presentation puts the data center and crypto large load impact through the end of 2026 at 17 large loads and 6,608 MW of total peak demand over five years.
17 large loads (6,608 MW total peak demand over 5 years)
Those large loads have finished every ERCOT process except ERCOT's approval to energize.
These large loads have finished all ERCOT processes except have not received ERCOT’s approval to energize.
The presentation defines a large load as 75 MW or greater and a medium load as at least 25 MW and less than 75 MW.
Large loads: 75 MW or greater
The pause does not reach large loads that are not data centers, which ERCOT says it may still approve for energization.
ERCOT may approve energization for non-data center large loads.
ERCOT received 41 requests for an exception to the Batch Zero eligibility criteria on July 23rd, 2026.
On July 23, 2026, ERCOT received 41 requests.
ERCOT told the commission it planned to submit any good cause exceptions no later than December 2026.
ERCOT plans to submit any good cause exceptions no later than December 2026.
ERCOT had reviewed 290 dynamic models and reported that approximately 18 percent were acceptable on first review.
ERCOT has reviewed 290 dynamic models and approximately 18% were acceptable on first review
ERCOT's schedule files the Batch Zero Eligibility Verification Report on December 10th and takes it to a commission open meeting on December 17th.
December 10 File Batch Zero Eligibility Verification Report December 17 Commission Open Meeting
ERCOT said it would conduct site verifications of certain eligible base loads with upcoming requested energization dates.
ERCOT will conduct site verifications of certain eligible base loads with upcoming requested energization dates
The Governor directed the commission and ERCOT to complete a comprehensive verification and audit of all data centers advancing through the interconnection process before those loads proceed.
Governor Abbott directed the Commission and ERCOT to complete “a comprehensive verification and audit” of all data centers advancing through the interconnection process before allowing those loads to proceed
ERCOT notified each interconnecting distribution and transmission service provider of its provisional classification of the large loads that provider had submitted for Batch Zero.
ERCOT has notified each Interconnecting Distribution Service Provider (DSP) and Transmission Service Provider (TSP) (Interconnecting DSP/TSP) of ERCOT's provisional classification of the Large Loads submitted by the Interconnecting DSP/TSP for inclusion in Batch Zero.
A conditional inclusion in Batch Zero can hang on the load entity passing verification. It can equally hang on that entity curing deficiencies in dynamic model data, or on the utility commission granting ERCOT a good cause exception. That exception lets a load qualify despite not meeting an eligibility requirement when it applied.
The information provided indicates whether each Large Load has been conditionally included in Batch Zero subject to one or more conditions, such as the Interconnecting Large Load Entity (ILLE) passing verification, the ILLE curing deficiencies in dynamic model data, or the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) granting ERCOT a good cause exception to allow the Large Load to qualify despite not meeting an applicable eligibility requirement at the time of submission.
ERCOT warns that a large load which does not satisfy an applicable condition may be disqualified from Batch Zero.
Failure to satisfy any applicable condition may disqualify the Large Load from Batch Zero.
Market Notice M-A080326-04 is the public announcement of the conditional classifications, and the notice as published identifies no individual large load and states no capacity total.
Batch Zero Conditional Classification issued to Transmission and/or Distribution Service Providers
Galaxy Digital announced that five of its Texas data center projects received conditional classifications under the ERCOT Batch Zero process, covering approximately 4.2 gigawatts of gross power capacity.
Galaxy Digital Inc. (Nasdaq: GLXY) ("Galaxy" or the "Company") today announced that five of its Texas data center projects received conditional classifications under the Electric Reliability Council of Texas ("ERCOT") Batch Zero large load interconnection process, covering approximately 4.2 gigawatts of gross power capacity.
Galaxy describes the difference the classification makes, which is that base load projects are modeled in the study and not subject to further capacity allocation while studied load projects are.
Base Load projects are modeled in the study and are not subject to further capacity allocation, while Studied Load projects are subject to capacity allocation as part of the study.
Galaxy says the first Helios phase, 800 megawatts at the Helios data center campus, was classified as Batch Zero base load.
Helios I — 800 megawatts (MW) at the Helios data center campus, classified as Batch Zero Base Load.
Galaxy says Helios II, 830 MW at the same campus, was classified as Batch Zero base load.
Helios II — 830 MW at the Helios data center campus, classified as Batch Zero Base Load.
Galaxy submitted Caspian as base load and ERCOT conditionally classified it as studied load.
Caspian — 700 MW of gross power capacity, classified as Batch Zero Studied Load. Galaxy submitted Caspian as Base Load; the project has been conditionally classified as Studied Load.
Galaxy says Selene, 900 MW, was classified as Batch Zero studied load.
Selene — 900 MW, classified as Batch Zero Studied Load.
Galaxy says Helios III, a 1,000 MW load request at the Helios campus, was classified as Batch Zero studied load.
Helios III — a 1,000 MW load request at the Helios campus, classified as Batch Zero Studied Load.
Galaxy's own risk disclosure names the conditional nature of the classifications and the risk that a project is removed from Batch Zero.
(1) the conditional nature of the Batch Zero classifications described above and the possibility that a classification is modified, withdrawn or not confirmed; (2) the outcome, scope and duration of the verification and audit being conducted by ERCOT and the Public Utility Commission of Texas, and the risk that a project is removed from Batch Zero
Galaxy states that the utility commission granted ERCOT good cause exceptions on August 20th, permitting conditional classification while it audits the data center projects in its queue. The company says ERCOT expects that audit to take several months.
Following the Governor's August 3, 2026, directive, the Public Utility Commission of Texas on August 20th granted ERCOT good cause exceptions permitting conditional classification while it audits the data center projects in its interconnection queue, a process ERCOT expects to take several months.
Galaxy says more than 1.6 GW has already been approved at the Helios campus.
part of the more than 1.6 GW already approved at Helios
Galaxy places its Helios campus in the panhandle region of West Texas.
At the heart of this strategy is our Helios campus, Galaxy's flagship high performance computing data center campus in the panhandle region of West Texas.
Galaxy's data center page gives the Helios campus location as Dickens County, Texas.
LOCATION Dickens County, Texas
The presentation's eligibility table defines the six ways a developer has to show something, and one of them is ERCOT turning up at the site.
A = Attestation (developer’s legal declaration that it satisfies the requirement); D = Disclosure (information that the developer must provide); E = Evidence (supporting documentation required as part of the eligibility package); F = Form (signed by representatives of both the developer and its affiliate); T = TSP/DSP sign-off (confirmed by the transmission/distribution provider as part of the eligibility package); I = Inspection (ERCOT may conduct site verification of loads with a requested Initial Energization date before April 1, 2027)
The eligibility table lists what a base load developer has to produce, row by row.
CIAC satisfaction (TSP/DSP-confirmed) T Long-lead equipment (≥18 mo.) A Notice to Proceed A End-use customer confirmation A Site approvals / no-approval statement A Binding General Contractor contract A Binding substation contractor contract A Financial security (TSP/DSP-confirmed) T Affiliate Form (if applicable) F Site control + evidence A E Section 9.7 disclosures A D
Confirming whether a load is already energized or holds a qualifying interconnection study is a separate duty on the provider rather than part of the developer's package.
TSP/DSPs are separately required to confirm whether a load is energized or has a qualifying interconnection study
The commission's own calendar feed carries an open meeting on September 17th, 2026 in Commissioners Hearing Room 7-100, open to the public.
Open Meeting - Thursday, September 17, 2026
The same feed carries a public comment deadline on September 17th, 2026 for Project 59550.
Public Comment Deadline - Thursday, September 17, 2026
The commission's own filing archive carries Project 59142, its review of the grid operator's interconnection processes for large loads, and its filings are public.
REVIEW OF ERCOT'S INTERCONNECTION PROCESSES FOR LARGE LOADS