TCDC Ector County: 1GW Giga-Scale AI & HPC Campus
Status: Phase 2 Engineering / Financing (April 2026) | Location: 438-Acre master-planned site outside Odessa, TX
Project Overview
As of April 15, 2026, the TCDC project has secured a significant $140 million financing round, including backing from Macquarie Group, to accelerate development of its flagship campus in the Permian Basin. Technically, the project is conceived as a “power-first” AI factory, a design philosophy that prioritizes energy availability and reliability as the foundation for large-scale compute operations. Central to this approach is an integrated behind-the-meter power model, enabling hyperscale tenants to bypass the constraints of the public grid by relying on dedicated on-site natural gas-fired generation. This ensures consistent, high-capacity power delivery critical for supporting the extreme energy demands of next-generation GPU clusters used in large language model training and other advanced AI workloads. The expansive 438-acre site is strategically located near major intrastate gas transmission infrastructure and high-capacity fiber networks, optimizing both energy sourcing and data connectivity. Looking ahead, future phases of the development include the potential integration of Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage technologies to mitigate emissions and enhance environmental sustainability. With a planned long-term capacity of up to 1GW, the TCDC campus represents a forward-looking model for scalable, energy-intensive AI infrastructure.
Quick Facts
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Project Name | TCDC Ector County: 1GW Giga-Scale AI & HPC Campus |
| Location | 438-Acre master-planned site outside Odessa, TX |
| Status | Phase 2 Engineering / Financing (April 2026) |
| Commissioning | Initial Tranche Expected: 2027 |
| Total IT Load | 1,000 MW (1 GW) Potential |
| Total Capacity | 438-Acre campus (Expanding to 492 acres) |
| Tier Level | Tier III+ (High-Performance Computing Optimized) |
| Project Type | Giga-Scale AI & High-Performance Computing (HPC) Hub |
City Profile
| Header | Details |
|---|
| City Name | Texas |
| Population | ~30.5 million (2025 est.) |
| Urban Agglomeration | ~27–28 million (major metro clusters combined) |
| City GDP | ~$2.4 trillion (2024 est., comparable to G7 economies) |
| Per Capita Income | ~$78,000 |
| City Tier | Tier 1 (Global Economic Powerhouse) |
| Key Strengths | Energy (oil, gas, renewables), Data Centers & AI Infrastructure, Technology (Austin hub), Logistics & Trade (US–Mexico corridor), Manufacturing, Business-friendly policies, Large land & power availability |
Companies Involved
| Header | Details |
|---|
| Developer / Operator | New Era Energy & Digital |
| Strategic Infrastructure Partner | Macquarie Group (Senior Secured Credit / Equity). |
| Construction Contractor | TBD (Phase 2 Engineering underway). |
| MEP Engineering | High-density liquid cooling; $N+1$ and $N+2$ power tranches. |
| Network Connectivity | Proximity to major Permian Basin fiber optic backbones. |
| Power Infrastructure | Scalable to 1 GW via on-site microgrid and gas offtake. |
Technical Specifications
| Header | Details |
|---|
| Power Capacity | 1,000 MW (1 GW) |
| UPS Redundancy | $N+1$ (Block Redundant for AI). |
| Cooling System | Advanced Liquid Cooling and HPC-optimized thermal mgmt. |
| Connectivity | Strategic anchor for the Permian Basin digital corridor. |
| PUE Target | < 1.15 (Expected via on-site generation efficiency). |
| Energy Mix | Natural Gas (On-site) with future Carbon Capture. |
Milestones
| Header | Details |
|---|
| Announcement | April 14, 2026 (Funding Milestone) |
| Construction Start | Late 2026 (Expected) |
| Phase 1 Go-Live | 2027 |
| Full Buildout | 2030+ |
Investment Details
| Header | Details |
|---|
| Total Investment | Undisclosed (Multi-billion dollar potential at 1GW). |
| Funding | Public Equity / Macquarie Credit Facility. |