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The Permian Basin Digital Shift: Data Center Developments in Midland County
Comprehensive inventory, off-grid gas campuses, edge colo, and tax-exempt black boxes

Midland County hosts four distinct data center developments under some of the strictest local conditions in Texas: FO Permian Partners' 150 MW fully off-grid gas-and-battery campus, Big Bend Telephone's operational 5 MW-master-planned edge colo, and the two proprietary McKinzie LLC facilities visible almost only through their Texas Data Center Program tax exemptions. Local leaders have barred municipal water sales for cooling and require self-generated gas power outside residential limits, a framework the off-grid buildout was built to satisfy.

The West Texas conditions framework

With ERCOT's large-load queue surging from 169,615 MW (May 2025) to 410,618 MW, developers are abandoning multi-year grid-tie applications for private microgrids and fully off-grid facilities — and the Permian's affordable land, abundant natural gas, and permissive-but-conditional local governance make Midland County a structural beneficiary. Mayor Lori Blong and County Judge Terry Johnson have set explicit terms: no municipal water sold for cooling (forcing closed-loop, air-cooled, or private brackish supply), facilities kept outside residential municipal limits, and self-generated natural-gas power. Four developments operate or are advancing under that framework.

FO Permian Partners Data Center

Announced September 2025 by FO Permian Partners with Texas IPP HiVolt Energy, the county's flagship build delivers 150 MW of contract-ready critical IT in Phase 1, fully off-grid in a TCEQ attainment zone — bypassing the three-to-eight-year ERCOT queue outright. Power comes from custom Caterpillar genset skids (G3520, XGC1900, XQ1475G) stabilized by Cat PGS1260 battery storage, on a 320-acre plot inside a 3,200-acre tract backed by 5+ GW of dedicated, source-priced gas. Floor space and capex are undisclosed; the report's own estimates run 300,000–500,000 sq ft and $1.05–1.5B at standard $7–10M/MW deployment costs.

ParameterData (disclosed vs estimated)
Developer / operatorFO Permian Partners / HiVolt Energy Holdings, LLC
Capacity150 MW Phase 1; expandable to multiple GW
Grid postureFully off-grid / behind-the-meter self-generation
Land320 acres immediate; 3,200 contiguous acres
Floor spaceUndisclosed (est. 300–500k sq ft, report inference)
Capital costUndisclosed (est. $1.05–1.5B, report inference)
TimelineSite prep from late 2025; Phase 1 delivery late 2026

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