Story perspectives

Texas Halts Up to 1,800 Data Center Projects

8/24/2026

Summary

Story summary

U.S. candidates are making data centers a pivotal election issue.
The NRSC memo warned Ohio Sen. Jon Husted could lose if data centers dominate his race.
Gov. Greg Abbott imposed a Texas moratorium, halting up to 1,800 data center projects.
Gov. Josh Shapiro signed an order setting the nation’s strictest guardrails for Pennsylvania data centers.

History

Historical Context

The 1996 Telecommunications Act, signed by President Bill Clinton, deregulated broadband and sparked a nationwide surge in data-center construction. Within a decade, companies like Google and Amazon built over 1,800 facilities, while the industry attracted $1.5 trillion in private investment, according to the FCC. Today, state leaders such as Texas Governor Greg Abbott, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, and Ohio Senator Jon Husted confront the same growth, imposing moratoria and guardrails reminiscent of early-1990s regulatory debates. The precedent set by the 1996 Act suggests that contemporary data-center politics will shape future infrastructure policy, potentially influencing national broadband strategy for decades.

1 of 2

Story summary

U.S. candidates are making data centers a pivotal election issue.
The NRSC memo warned Ohio Sen. Jon Husted could lose if data centers dominate his race.
Gov. Greg Abbott imposed a Texas moratorium, halting up to 1,800 data center projects.
Gov. Josh Shapiro signed an order setting the nation’s strictest guardrails for Pennsylvania data centers.

1 / 2