According to ERCOT, this queue currently contains more than 1,800 projects representing 474 gigawatts of electricity, approximately 90% of which are data centers.
The audit is a response to concerns over the rapid expansion of AI infrastructure and its impact on the state’s utilities.
State leaders are seeking verified details on water consumption for cooling operations, power generation, and tax incentives received by developers.
This move is significant because the requested electricity in the queue is five times the grid’s record peak demand, posing a potential risk to the stability of the state's power supply.
Any project that fails to meet the new verification requirements will be denied a grid connection.
While the pause disrupts ongoing efforts to streamline project approvals, it does not affect facilities that use on-site power generation to bypass the traditional grid.
The Data Center Coalition, an industry trade group, expressed hope that the review would distinguish responsible developers, though critics and some state officials argue the measure lacks the permanent legal authority of a legislative session.
ERCOT has already paused its current review of the first set of projects, known as "batch zero," while it implements the governor's directive.