Amazon is looking to construct $5 billion Project Spectrum data center campus in Texas next to a nuclear power plant. The client company aims to build the data center next to Vistra’s Comanche nuclear plant, possibly as a more accessible source of power. The Somervell County commissioners court last week motioned to move forward with a development agreement with Amazon Data Services.

Amazon Data Services is an affiliate through which Amazon does most of its data center dealings through. The proposed data center campus would be located on Vistra’s property adjacent to the Comanche Peak nuclear plant.

However, the proposal still has to be subjected to finalized lease terms. A tax abatement application suggests the project could total up to 18 two-story buildings. Moreover, it is expected to cover 435 acres and see some $5 billion invested. According to local news reports, construction of the facility could commence in 2027. At this rate, Texas places itself among the top states competing for data center investments. 

Scope on Project Spectrum Data Center Campus in Texas

Though the Project Spectrum data center campus in Texas is shaping up, full details of the agreement have not been shared. However, it includes $2.5 million payment to the county upon project groundbreaking. It also includes a further $300,000 per building annually. Somervell County is around 50 miles southwest of Fort Worth. Its county seat is the city of Glen Rose. The 2.4GW Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant launched in 1974.

It is operated by Luminant Generation, a subsidiary of Vistra Corp. The plant, located in Somervell County, also borders neighboring Hood County. Amazon is also known to be working with Hood County officials on Project Spectrum. The project address with Hood County officials is 2300 Coates Rd, Granbury, and spans more than 1,265 acres. However, Amazon is not the only company eyeing the advantages of having a project close to a nuclear plant. Real estate firm Sailfish is planning a large development in Hood County close to the nuclear plant that could total more than 2,000 acres and 5GW.

On the other hand, Mara operates a cryptomine in the county. Hood County officials recently narrowly voted against introducing a moratorium on data centers. However, local news reports another resolution could be voted on soon. News that Vistra was in discussions with data center operators about potential partnerships surfaced in late 2024. Amazon has previously acquired a data center colocated with a nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania, and is set to develop a large campus on the site.

Project Factsheet

• Project Name: Project Spectrum Data Center Campus.
• Project Type: Hyperscale data center campus with nuclear power plant colocation.
• Location: Somervell County and Hood County, Texas, United States.
• Company: Amazon Web Services
• Power Infrastructure Partner: Vistra Corp
• Power Plant: Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant.
• Approximate data center Investment Value: $5 billion.

Project Overview

• Proposed massive data center campus to be constructed adjacent to a nuclear power plant.
• County development agreement under discussion.

Design and Scale

• Proposed acreage: around 435 acres of Vistra-owned property.
• As many as 18 two-story data center buildings reported in tax abatement filings.
• Other support facilities and infrastructure anticipated.

Site and Regional Context

• Headquarters in Somervell County in the city of Glen Rose.
• Approximately 50 miles southwest of Fort Worth.

Energy and Operations Context.

• Comanche Peak power plant capacity: about 2.4GW.
• Vistra subsidiary, Luminant Generation, operates this plant.
• Colocation meant to provide a good and stable supply of power

Project Status

• Motion of the commissioners of Somervell County to develop.
• Under lease agreements with Vistra pending concluding leasing conditions.
• Local approvals and incentive deals underway.

Financial and Local commitments.

• Offer to pay county at groundbreaking, 2.5 million.
• Approximately 300,000 to pay per building built.
• Applications to obtain tax abatement in support of investment.

Timeline

• Possible start of construction: 2027 (indicative in relation to local reporting)
• Buildout to be done in phases subject to approvals and demand growth.

Key Stakeholders

• Developer/operator of data center: Amazon Data Services (Amazon affiliate).
• Land partner and power partner: Vistra Corp.
• Plant operator: Luminant Generation.
• Local governments: Somervell County and Hood County governments.

Relevant Regional Developments.

• Closeness to proposed Sailfish large-scale project near the nuclear plant.
• Mara operates crypto mining activities in the county.
• Continued policy deliberation in Hood County on the potential data center regulations.