Data center siting snapshot: Tarrant County, Texas
What public records show about building a data center in Tarrant County: local and state data center rules, mapped high-voltage lines and the utilities on record. Every line links its source.
Line miles are measured from the archived HIFLD Transmission Lines layer inside the Census county boundary. Mapped lines are not available capacity.
What the public record shows
The archived HIFLD map indicates approximately 245.1 miles of 345 kV transmission line within Tarrant County, with no miles recorded at 500 kV or 230 kV [1]. An additional 446.3 miles of 115–161 kV line are mapped in the area [2]. Oncor Electric Delivery is the owner of record for the most mapped 115 kV and above line miles [3]. Two named line endpoints touching 230 kV and above lines are located inside the county [4]. Retail electric utilities with mapped service territory covering part of the county include Oncor Electric Delivery Company, United Electric Cooperative Service, Denton County Electric Cooperative, and Tri-County Electric Cooperative [5].
As of November 9, 2026, records show no county- or city-level data center moratorium or ordinance for Tarrant County [6]. At the state level, a Governor directive requiring TCEQ to halt data center permits is in force [7]. A separate Governor directive for a comprehensive data center audit is also in force [8]. SB 6, which requires large-load planning and interconnection standards, is enacted [9]. A proposed statutory moratorium pledged by the Governor-elect is currently in proposed status [10]. HB 3970 and HB 5588, both related to large-load interconnection and tax exemptions, failed to pass [11][12].
Drafted by our local model from the numbered facts below, then checked sentence by sentence by a second model and a rules-based check.
Data center rules on record
Rule records come from The MW Desk legislation tracker, which includes rows from the Moratorium Nation dataset by Michael J. Bommarito (CC BY 4.0). Statuses change; confirm with the jurisdiction's own record.
Utilities on record
Oncor Electric Delivery, United Electric Cooperative Service (TX), Denton County Electric Cooperative, Tri-County Electric Cooperative (TX). (HIFLD/EIA-861 territory polygons; approximate and often overlapping.)
Market context on The MW Desk: Dallas-Fort Worth, Austin / San Antonio, West Texas (Abilene, Shackelford, Permian), Houston, Texas Panhandle (Amarillo).
Sources
- [1] The archived HIFLD map shows about 245.1 miles of 230 kV-and-above transmission line inside Tarrant County, TX: 0.0 miles at 500 kV or more, 245.1 miles at 345 kV and 0.0 miles at 230 kV. Source: HIFLD Transmission Lines (archived by SeerAI, CC BY 4.0)
- [2] The same map shows about 446.3 miles of 115–161 kV line in the county. Source: HIFLD Transmission Lines (archived by SeerAI, CC BY 4.0)
- [3] Owners of record with the most mapped 115 kV+ line miles in the county: Oncor Electric Delivery. Source: HIFLD Transmission Lines (archived by SeerAI, CC BY 4.0)
- [4] 2 named line endpoints touching 230 kV+ lines (usually substations or switchyards) are mapped inside the county. Source: HIFLD Transmission Lines (archived by SeerAI, CC BY 4.0)
- [5] Retail electric utilities whose mapped service territory covers part of the county include: Oncor Electric Delivery Company, United Electric Cooperative Service (TX), Denton County Electric Cooperative, Tri-County Electric Cooperative (TX). Territory boundaries are approximate. Source: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (EIA-861 based; archived by SeerAI, CC BY 4.0)
- [6] Our records hold no county- or city-level data center moratorium or ordinance for Tarrant County as of 2026-11-09. Source: The MW Desk legislation tracker
- [7] Texas state/utility level, Texas: Governor directive: TCEQ to halt data center permits. Status: in force, dated 2026-09-21. Source: Office of the Texas Governor: Governor Abbott directs TCEQ to halt data center permits
- [8] Texas state/utility level, Texas: Governor directive: comprehensive data center audit (ERCOT Batch Zero). Status: in force, dated 2026-08-03. Source: Office of the Texas Governor: Governor Abbott directs comprehensive data center audit
- [9] Texas state/utility level, Texas: SB 6 (89R, 2025) (Requires PUCT/ERCOT large-load planning and interconnection standards; applies to large loads at a default 75 MW single-site threshold; addresses interconnection studies, cost allocation, co-location, and emergency curtailment). Status: enacted, dated 2025-06-20. Source: SB 6 (89R, 2025) primary source
- [10] Texas state/utility level, Texas: Governor-elect pledge: statutory moratorium (Gina Hinojosa (elected Nov 3) campaigned on an immediate moratorium lasting until the Legislature passes protections. BMI says the pause could plausibly extend into late 2027). Status: proposed, dated 2026-11-04. Source: DCD: Anti-data center candidates claim victory across the US in 2026 midterm elections
- [11] Texas state/utility level, Texas: HB 3970 (89R, 2025) (Large-load interconnection and operation provisions). Status: failed, dated 2025-05-15. Source: Texas Legislature Online - HB 3970 (89R) Bill History
- [12] Texas state/utility level, Texas: HB 5588 (89R, 2025) (Proposed ad valorem tax exemption for data center real and personal property tied to energy demand). Status: failed, dated 2025-04-07. Source: Texas Legislature Online - HB 5588 (89R) Bill History