Articles · Data centers and the grid
All 245 Large Loads answered ERCOT, and cooling questions had the highest N/A rate
Every Large Load answered ERCOT's data center questionnaire. Cooling questions drew N/A answers at the highest rate, and a final report is targeted for December 10th.
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ERCOT sent its Data Center State and Community Impact request for information to 465 loads. The market notice that opened it is dated September 14th, 2026, and it set a response deadline of October 12th, 2026. It warned that a failure to answer any part would be reported to the utility commission and the Office of the Governor.
A preliminary summary prepared for the commission's open meeting of November 5th, 2026 reports the first results. Every data slide in it is marked preliminary and subject to change.
Who answered
433 of 465 loads submitted the questionnaire. Their answers cover about 177 GW, 97% of the interconnection capacity requested. 417 came in on time and 16 late, and 32 Medium Load responses had not been submitted.
All 245 Large Loads responded. Large Loads are those of 75 MW or greater. Large Loads represent about 94% of the capacity requested. Among them, 33 projects are requesting more than 1 GW each. They represent 36% of capacity.
Requests span every ERCOT load zone. West Texas holds the plurality with 41% of capacity, 73 GW. The zone breakdown counts 429 loads, and a load's actual zone is set at interconnection and may differ. It leaves out the load zones of Non-Opt-In Entities.
What was left blank
Respondents answered 83% of nearly 67,000 questions. The N/A rate was slightly lower among Large Loads, about 16%, than among Medium Loads, about 19%.
Cooling questions drew N/A answers at a higher rate than any other kind. Respondents indicated that many projects had not determined their final cooling configuration. Projects asking to energize in 2028 or later answered N/A 30% more often than projects due sooner. The summary doesn't say how much of the requested capacity sits behind an undecided cooling design.
The Texas Water Development Board's executive administrator authorized ERCOT to ask the questionnaire's Section C questions on the board's behalf. The preliminary summary reports answer rates. It doesn't publish what any project said about water or cooling.
A second round on Batch Zero
In the separate Batch Zero eligibility verification, groups within ERCOT and outside legal counsel reviewed responses from 257 developers. ERCOT expects to send 80% of them a second round of questions, with a 5 business day deadline to explain any deficiencies.
The review isn't finished. Common issues so far include proving site control and confirming the amount of financial security posted. ERCOT said it had to complete the review in November to file a report with the commission on November 5th, 2026.
What comes next
ERCOT says detailed analysis is under way and that it is targeting a published final report on December 10th, 2026. Until the final report is out, the counts here remain preliminary and the cooling answers remain unpublished.
Sources for this story
Claim-by-claim verification · 38 claims
ERCOT's preliminary summary of the Data Center State and Community Impact RFI was prepared for the PUC Open Meeting of November 5th, 2026, and its title slide names Chad V. Seely, Senior Vice President, Regulatory Policy, General Counsel, and Chief Compliance Officer.
Chad V. Seely Senior Vice President, Regulatory Policy, General Counsel, and Chief Compliance Officer PUC Open Meeting November 5, 2026
Every data slide in ERCOT's Community Impact RFI summary is marked preliminary as of November 5th and subject to change.
PRELIMINARY AS OF 11/5, SUBJECT TO CHANGE
ERCOT's preliminary summary says it issued the Data Center State and Community Impact RFI to 465 loads.
ERCOT issued the Data Center State and Community Impact Request for Information (RFI) to 465 loads.
Preliminary figures show 433 of 465 loads (93%) submitted the RFI, covering about 177 GW (about 97%) of requested interconnection capacity.
433 of 465 loads (93%) submitted the RFI, covering ~177 GW (~97%) of requested interconnection capacity.
In the preliminary count, 417 RFIs were submitted on time and 16 were submitted late. Most were due at 5pm CT on October 12th.
417 RFIs were submitted on time (most due 5pm CT on 10/12), and 16 were submitted late.
As of the preliminary summary, 32 Medium Load responses had not been submitted.
32 Medium Load responses have not been submitted.
ERCOT's preliminary summary says all 245 Large Loads, those of 75 MW or greater, responded to the RFI.
All 245 Large Loads (75 MW or greater) responded to the RFI.
Preliminary figures show Large Loads represent about 94% of requested interconnection capacity, about 166 GW.
Large Loads represent ~94% of requested interconnection capacity (~166 GW).
Among Large Loads, 33 projects are requesting interconnections greater than 1 GW. In the preliminary figures they represent 36% of capacity.
Among Large Loads, 33 projects representing 36% of capacity are requesting interconnections greater than 1 GW.
Preliminary data show requests in every ERCOT Load Zone. West Texas represents the plurality with 41% of capacity, 73 GW.
Requests span every ERCOT Load Zone; West Texas represents the plurality with 41% of capacity (73 GW).
The preliminary West load zone figure is 88 Large Loads, 39 Medium Loads and 73 GW of peak interconnection capacity.
88 LL · 39 ML · 73 GW
The preliminary North load zone figure is 69 Large Loads, 85 Medium Loads and 45 GW of peak interconnection capacity.
69 LL · 85 ML · 45 GW
The preliminary South load zone figure is 72 Large Loads, 38 Medium Loads and 49 GW of peak interconnection capacity.
72 LL · 38 ML · 49 GW
The preliminary Houston load zone figure is 14 Large Loads, 24 Medium Loads and 10 GW of peak interconnection capacity.
14 LL · 24 ML · 10 GW
The preliminary load zone breakdown counts 429 included loads, 243 Large Loads and 186 Medium Loads, with 37 near a zone boundary. A load's actual zone is set at interconnection and may differ.
Actual assigned Load Zone is set at interconnection and may differ. N = 429 included loads (243 LL, 186 ML), 37 near a zone boundary;
The preliminary load zone breakdown leaves out Non-Opt-In Entity load zones.
Does not include Non-Opt-In Entity (NOIE) Load Zones
According to the preliminary summary, respondents answered 83% of the nearly 67,000 RFI questions.
Respondents answered 83% of the nearly 67,000 RFI questions
In the preliminary summary, cooling questions had the largest fraction left unanswered, the highest N/A rate of any category. Respondents said many projects had not determined their final cooling configuration.
The largest fraction of not answered questions were related to cooling, where respondents indicated that many projects had not determined their final cooling configuration.
Preliminary figures put the N/A answer rate slightly lower among Large Loads, about 16%, than among Medium Loads, about 19%.
The rate of N/A answers was slightly lower among Large Loads (~16%) than Medium Loads (~19%).
In the preliminary summary, projects with requested energization dates of 2028 or later answered N/A 30% more frequently than projects due earlier.
Projects with 2028+ requested energization dates responded ‘N/A’ to questions 30% more frequently than pre-2028
Preliminary figures show about 95% of facilities will not conduct any virtual currency mining. They represent more than 99% (175.9 GW) of total requested interconnection capacity.
~95% of facilities will not conduct any virtual currency mining activities, representing >99% (175.9 GW) of the total requested interconnection capacity.
In the preliminary summary, 22 facilities report virtual currency mining as a full or partial facility function. Nearly all of them (20) are Medium Loads requesting less than 75 MW.
Of the 22 facilities reporting virtual currency mining as a full or partial facility function, nearly all (20) are Medium Loads requesting <75 MW.
ERCOT says detailed analysis of the RFI is underway and that it is targeting a published final report on December 10th, 2026.
Detailed data analysis is currently underway, and ERCOT is targeting a published final report on December 10, 2026.
In the separate Batch Zero Eligibility Verification process, groups within ERCOT and outside legal counsel reviewed first round responses from 257 developers, approximately 5,140 questions.
Several groups within ERCOT, as well as outside legal counsel, have reviewed the responses from 257 developers, approximately 5,140 questions.
ERCOT is issuing second RFIs in the Batch Zero Eligibility Verification process and expects to send them to 80% of developers.
ERCOT expects to send RFIs to 80% of the developers.
The second round verification RFIs give developers a reasonable opportunity to explain any deficiencies, with a 5 Business Day deadline.
the second round RFIs provide developers a “reasonable opportunity” to explain any deficiencies. 5 Business Day deadline.
As of its November 5th, 2026 update, ERCOT said it had to complete its verification review that month to file a report with the PUCT on December 10th, 2026.
ERCOT must complete its review this month to file a report with the PUCT on December 10, 2026.
ERCOT had not completed its verification review. One common issue emerging was a lack of documentation to establish affiliate relationships.
Lack of documentation to establish affiliate relationships
Another common issue emerging in ERCOT's unfinished verification review was an inability to demonstrate site control.
Inability to demonstrate site control
Another common issue emerging in ERCOT's unfinished verification review was an inability to establish that long-lead time equipment was ordered and will be delivered before energization.
Inability to establish long-lead time equipment ordered and will be delivered before energization
Another common issue emerging in ERCOT's unfinished verification review was difficulty confirming the amount of financial security posted.
Difficulty confirming the amount of financial security posted
ERCOT's market notice M-B091426-01 is dated September 14th, 2026.
NOTICE DATE: September 14, 2026
The September 14th, 2026 market notice was addressed to developers of data centers of 25 MW and larger, transmission and distribution service providers, and market participants.
Developers of Data Centers 25 MW and Larger
The market notice set a response deadline of no later than 5 p.m. Central Prevailing Time on October 12th, 2026.
5 p.m. Central Prevailing Time (CPT) on October 12, 2026
The market notice warned that failure to respond to the RFI or any part of it will be reported to the PUC and the Office of the Governor.
Failure to respond to the RFI or any part thereof will be reported to the PUC and the Office of the Governor.
The Executive Administrator of the TWDB authorized ERCOT to issue the RFI's Section C questions on the TWDB's behalf.
The Executive Administrator of the TWDB has authorized ERCOT to issue the questions in Section C on TWDB
In the September 14th, 2026 notice, ERCOT said it expected to publish the report no later than December 10th, 2026.
ERCOT expects to publish this report no later than December 10, 2026
The utility commission's calendar lists an open meeting on Thursday, December 17th, 2026.
Open Meeting - Thursday, December 17, 2026