Gov. Abbott directive: PUCT/ERCOT verification and audit of all data centers in the interconnection queue

On August 3, 2026 Governor Greg Abbott directed the Public Utility Commission of Texas and ERCOT to conduct a comprehensive verification and audit of all data centers advancing through ERCOT's interconnection process, to be completed before any data center project moves forward, with projects that fail PUCT/ERCOT requirements denied connection to the grid. The directive cites roughly 474 GW of interconnection requests, about 90 percent of them data centers, and builds on the June 10, 2026 directive to shield residential ratepayers from data center infrastructure costs.