Texas at the Forefront of Large-Load Growth
Texas stands at the forefront of large-load growth, driven by data centers, the electrification of oil fields, and hard-to-abate industries such as cement and steel. The Bureau, through its newly formed research consortium, Collaborative Optimization and Management of Power Allocation: Surface and Subsurface strategies (COMPASS), is bringing together industry partners, a multidisciplinary pool of technical and scientific experts, policy makers, regulators, and communities to start the conversation on how to better understand, plan, and coordinate effectively—sustaining growth while ensuring reliability, efficiency, and community benefits.
Bureau Director Lorena Moscardelli and Chief Economist Ning Lin have actively participated in several discussions on this topic, including a panel on “Data Centers in West Texas” at the 2025 University Forum in Odessa, and a high-level discussion on “Policy, Technology, and Research Alignment for Large-Load Development in Texas.” The latter featured Commissioner Kathleen Jackson from the Public Utility Commission of Texas, Chairman Jim Wright from the Railroad Commission of Texas, and other representatives from hyperscalers to natural gas infrastructure stakeholders.
Access to energy, water, land, infrastructure, adequate policy and regulation, and community involvement remain central to this important conversation. Through COMPASS and the many internal synergies associated with this initiative, the Bureau will continue to lead the dialogue in Texas on energy and the critical role of the subsurface in driving progress and prosperity within the state and beyond.
