government
Texas utility agencies say they’re taking action to protect ratepayers from data center costs
Summary by The El Paso Editorial Desk · Based on reporting by Gabrielle Lopez , KVIA ABC-7
· July 24, 2026
· 2 min read
AUSTIN (KVIA) -- Texas Governor Greg Abbott released a response Friday from the state's Public Utility Commission and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas to his June 10 directive to protect residential ratepayers from the costs of data centers. “I directed the Public Utility Commission and ...
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Summary created by The El Paso Editorial Desk — automated, rule-governed Original reporting Gabrielle Lopez, KVIA ABC-7 Original story Read at the source Source published Jul 24, 2026 Indexed here Jul 24, 2026 AI assistance Automated summary drawn from the source’s own published text Prepublication human review No — editorial rules, flagged-item review, and published samples
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Key takeaway ” June 10, the governor told the PUCT to make data centers pay for their own electric infrastructure and to work with ERCOT on more steps to protect ratepayers.
Why this matters in The El Paso
For El Paso residents, the state's efforts to protect ratepayers from data center costs are particularly relevant given the region's growing tech industry. As data centers expand in the area, concerns about strain on the power grid and increased costs for residential ratepayers have grown. The Public Utility Commission and Electric Reliability Council of Texas's actions to require data centers to pay for their own electric infrastructure and contribute to reducing residential electric bills will likely have a direct impact on local utility bills. Additionally, the recommended legislative changes, such as expanding the Lone Star Infrastructure Protection Act to cover large data centers, will be closely watched by El Paso lawmakers and residents, who will be interested in seeing how these changes affect the local economy and grid reliability. The registration requirement for data centers will also provide the state with valuable information about their water and electricity operations, which will be useful in managing resources in water-scarce El Paso.
About this story
Original reporting by KVIA ABC-7 . The El Paso surfaces reporting from trusted publishers and adds local editorial context so readers can quickly understand what a story means for their community. We attribute every source, link to the original report, and follow a documented editorial standards policy. To understand how stories are selected and reviewed, read our about page .
For the complete original report, visit KVIA ABC-7 . Have a tip or correction? Contact our newsroom .
Category: government ·
Published: July 24, 2026 ·
Source: KVIA ABC-7 ·
Reading time: 2 min
Frequently asked about this story
What is this story about? AUSTIN (KVIA) -- Texas Governor Greg Abbott released a response Friday from the state's Public Utility Commission and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas to his June 10 directive to protect residential ratepayers from the costs of data centers. “I directed the Public Utility Commission and ...
When was this published? This article was first published on July 24, 2026 by KVIA ABC-7 and curated for The El Paso readers.
Who reported this story? This story was reported by Gabrielle Lopez at KVIA ABC-7. To learn more about how The El Paso selects and reviews stories, see our editorial standards .
Where can I find related coverage? See more government coverage from The El Paso, or browse our daily briefing and topic hubs .
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