The Daily Dig
Amazon is planning a $5 billion data center campus in an unincorporated part of Somervell County, Texas, near Glen Rose. The site sits on Vistra Corp. land right next to the Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant.
Amazon shared new details in a community update dated November 5, 2026. Site preparation is already underway, and the campus will be built in stages.
Once running, the campus is expected to support at least 550 full-time positions that pay well above the county average. The build itself should create thousands of additional jobs, along with opportunities for local contractors and small businesses.
Plugged In Next Door
The campus is backed by a 20-year power purchase agreement for up to 1,200 MW from Comanche Peak, a 2.4 GW plant. Power delivery is set to begin in the fourth quarter of 2027 and ramp to full capacity by 2032.
That power will travel through dedicated transmission lines to a substation at the campus. Amazon will be a direct off-taker from the plant and pay the full cost of the energy they use.
The campus ties into the high voltage transmission system, not the local lines serving nearby homes and businesses. Amazon also says they’ll comply with Senate Bill 6, which requires them to cut their power use when directed during grid emergencies.
Worth Its Salt
Amazon says their facilities in the region use outside air for cooling about 84% of the year. Those facilities only switch to water cooling during the hottest hours, roughly 16% of the time.
Cooling water for this campus comes from the Comanche Creek reservoir, which serves the nuclear plant. The water is too salty to drink, and Amazon draws it under existing Vistra water rights leased to them.
Average annual use is projected at under 2% of those rights, and no new water rights will be sought. Spent cooling water will be treated and reused at the campus.
Snapshot:
Developer/Operator: Amazon
Landowner: Vistra Corp.
Location: Unincorporated Somervell County, near Glen Rose, Texas
Sector: Data center campus
Project Value: $5 billion
Scope: Up to 18 two-story buildings on about 435 acres (per county tax abatement application)
Status: Site preparation underway, phased development
Permanent Jobs: At least 550 full-time, wages above county average
Construction Impact: Thousands of additional jobs, opportunities for local contractors and small businesses
Power Source: Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant (2.4 GW), Amazon as direct off-taker
Power Agreement: 20 years for up to 1,200 MW, options to extend up to 20 more years
Power Timeline: Delivery begins Q4 2027, full capacity by 2032
Future Options: Possible nuclear upgrades and small modular reactors under the agreement
Power Delivery: Dedicated transmission lines to a campus substation
Grid Connection: High voltage transmission system
Grid Compliance: Senate Bill 6, power cuts during grid emergencies when directed
Cooling: Outside air about 84% of the year, water about 16% (regional figure)
Cooling Water Source: Comanche Creek reservoir, existing Vistra surface water rights leased to Amazon
Water Use: Under 2% of Vistra’s rights on average, contracted peak under 5%
Water Reuse: Spent cooling water treated and reused at the campus
Domestic Water: Somervell County Water District
Backup Power: Generators with emissions controls, run very infrequently, mostly for brief midday tests
Noise Control: Acoustic program, sound-dampening materials, acoustic enclosures and mufflers
Water Project: About $3.75 million with Arable in the Brazos River Basin, more than 330 million gallons per year expected
Community Investment:
Built Together initiative: $1 billion+ over five years for communities hosting Amazon data centers
STEM partnership with Glen Rose ISD
$15,000 from Amazon toward a $25,000 Texas Amphitheater Performing Arts Foundation sponsorship, given jointly with Vistra
A planned $100,000 to $150,000 Community Fund and a community meet-and-greet
Additional STEM resources and local sponsorships in 2027
TheJobWalk Thoughts
Power delivery starts in the fourth quarter of 2027, and the campus substation can’t take a single megawatt until it’s finished. Transformers and switchgear often come with long lead times, so that package tends to get bought early. Electrical subs and suppliers should be asking questions now.
The ramp to full capacity runs through 2032, which points to years of phased work. Builds like that tend to reward whoever performs well on the first phase.
Treating and reusing cooling water at the campus also means scope for treatment equipment and process piping.
