What Is Being Proposed in Cameron County

 

 

Purpose of This Section

 

This section exists to answer one simple question:

 

“What exactly is being proposed in Cameron County, and why don’t we have full details yet?”

 

Before residents speak at a city or county meeting, they deserve to understand both the scale of the project and the limits of public information.

 

 

The Proposed Cameron County Data Center (What We Know)

 

A large-scale data center campus is being explored for Cameron County near Valley International Airport.

 

Based on publicly reported information:

 

• Proposed size: Up to 2 gigawatts (2,000 MW) of power capacity

• Land footprint: Approximately 1,785 acres (about 2.8 square miles)

• Scale: Comparable to the size of a small city

• Layout: Up to 16 data halls

• Developer: Eneus Energy Ltd. (UK-based), through a subsidiary

• Estimated investment: Approximately $14 billion

• Project status: Not finalized or approved

• Electrical infrastructure: Up to 1 GW of interconnection capacity reportedly secured so far

 

This is not a routine industrial project.

 

 

Why This Project Is Different

 

This proposal is for a hyperscale, always-on data center campus.

 

That means:

 

• Continuous electricity demand, day and night

• Constant cooling requirements

• No ability to shut down during emergencies

• Permanent baseline demand on regional systems

 

Once built, this type of infrastructure is extremely difficult to scale back or reverse.

 

 

What We Don’t Know — And Why

 

At this stage, key project details have not been shared publicly.

 

Why?

Because non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) are in place between the developer and local entities.

 

As a result, the public has not been shown:

 

• A finalized water-use plan

• The type of cooling system proposed

• A drought or water-priority plan

• Backup generator capacity and fuel type

• Emissions estimates

• Cumulative regional impact studies

 

NDAs are common during early negotiations, but they also mean:

 

• Residents are being asked to react without full information

• Long-term impacts cannot be independently evaluated

• Public input is limited while decisions are still being shaped

 

 

Why NDAs Matter to the Community

 

Once approvals are granted:

 

• Leverage is reduced

• Conditions are harder to change

• Infrastructure commitments become permanent

 

That’s why transparency before approval matters — not after.

 

Asking for disclosure is not opposition.

It’s due diligence.

 

 

Why This Section Matters Before You Speak

 

This section allows residents to say:

 

“I understand the scale of the project being discussed, but key details are still protected by NDAs. I’m asking for transparency before any approvals move forward.”

 

That is a reasonable, responsible position.

 

 

How to Use This Section Effectively

 

Before a meeting:

 

• Review the known facts

• Note what has not been disclosed

• Decide which unknown concerns you most

 

At the meeting:

 

• Reference NDAs calmly

• Ask for public disclosure

• Emphasize planning, not politics

 

This section helps you confidently answer:

 

“What’s being proposed here, and why does the public still have unanswered questions?”