EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — After a marathon all-day meeting and significant protests from the public, members of the Doña Ana County Board of County Commissioners voted on Friday, Sept. 19 to take a significant step toward making a controversial data-center and microgrid project a reality.
The board voted on Friday, Sept. 19 to approve an ordinance authorizing the issuance and sale of up to $165 billion of industrial revenue bonds for Project Jupiter.
Under the agreement, Project Jupiter will build a next-generation data-center campus near Santa Teresa, the County said.
The project calls for an initial $50 billion investment within five years, with up to $165 billion over a 30-year financing term. Construction is expected to begin in late 2025, pending approval of final permits and issuance of the industrial revenue bonds.
The meeting, however, featured some loud opposition from area residents, who were concerned about the use of water and electricity and negative impacts from this development. Others said that the approval process has been rushed and they wanted the County to slow down and delay it.
According to Dona Ana County, if Project Jupiter achieves final approval, it will fuel economic development in the region.
That includes, according to the County:
- Creation at least 750 new full-time positions and 50 part-time roles within three years of operations, with average annual wages between $75,000 and $100,000 plus benefits.
- 2,500 construction jobs during the 2025–2028 build-out phase.
- Commits to a “Doña Ana County First” hiring strategy to prioritize employing local residents and vendors.
The County also said that the Project Jupiter data centers will use a “closed-loop” cooling system that will limit water use to “domestic needs,” with a projected average of 20,000 gallons per day.
The project will also build and be powered by a dedicated microgrid with natural-gas generation, large-scale battery storage and plans for renewable integration, the County said.
Project Jupiter has also committed to contributing $50 million to expand water and wastewater infrastructure and $6.9 million dollars to community investment funds, Dona Ana County said.
“These contributions will provide much-needed funding for schools, roads and public services, expand access to clean drinking water in the County and other established community priorities,” the County said.
The County, meanwhile, will authorize up to $165 billion in industrial revenue boneds, provide a 30-year property tax abatement and partner with state and federal agencies for necessary permitting and infrastructure approval.
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