Texas Sets Deadline for Data Centers and Crypto Miners to Prove Interconnection Projects

Texas energy regulators have set a deadline for data center and crypto-mining projects to prove their interconnection projects are real, funded, and ready to build. The Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) have given operators until December 10, 2026, to provide ownership records, site access permissions, purchase orders, and contracts.

The deadline comes after ERCOT tracked a large number of large-load interconnection requests in late 2025. The queue consisted of approximately 226 GW of large-load interconnection requests, with around 90% attributed to data centers. Crypto-mining operations account for a smaller slice of the pie, but still a notable portion.

The verification process aims to separate real projects from speculative or 'zombie' ones that could be tying up grid planning resources and distorting infrastructure investment decisions. Governor Greg Abbott directed a comprehensive audit of ERCOT's interconnection queue in August 2026, leading to the deadline being set.