Trump, Tech Giants Unveil Massive AI Infrastructure Project in Texas
In a groundbreaking announcement, President Donald Trump, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son, and Oracle founder Larry Ellison have unveiled the Stargate project, a joint venture aimed at significantly bolstering AI infrastructure in the United States.
The ambitious project, set to be developed in Abilene, Texas, represents a $500 billion investment in AI technology, with a strong emphasis on energy use and sustainability. Developers have already filed permits for natural gas turbines at the Stargate site, signaling the commencement of the project’s initial phase.
At the heart of the Stargate project is a natural gas plant designed to support extensive data centers. The planned natural gas turbines will have a combined capacity of 360 megawatts, equivalent to powering approximately 90,000 Texas homes. However, this power will be exclusively dedicated to the project’s data centers and computing needs, rather than supplying the local grid.
Permit applications have been submitted to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for the turbines, which will be sourced from GE Vernova and Solar Turbines. These units are designed for quick installation, allowing for rapid development of the site. Additionally, diesel-fired backup generators have already been permitted, further ensuring the project’s power stability.
The scale of the Stargate project is immense, with Morgan Stanley analysts estimating that it will require about 15 gigawatts of power. The 360.5 MW from the natural gas turbines represents less than 1% of the total power needs, highlighting the project’s vast energy requirements. Plans are in place to source additional power from a 200 MW substation, with intentions to expand capacity further.
This development comes at a time when U.S. electricity demand is surging due to AI infrastructure growth. Industry experts predict that data center electricity use could triple by 2028, underscoring the importance of projects like Stargate in meeting future energy needs.
The Stargate project also raises questions about the competitiveness of U.S. AI infrastructure compared to Chinese models, which are reportedly more cost-effective and efficient. As the project moves forward, it will likely spark discussions about energy use, sustainability, and the future of AI development in the United States.
