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Summary

The report examines the rapid expansion of large AI data centers in Texas, focusing on Project Matador near Amarillo, described as the largest data-center complex announced to date. The reporter times a drive along its enormous construction site to illustrate the scale of the U.S. building boom. The video says investment in AI infrastructure has reached a level exceeding the cost of the Apollo moon program.

Texas appeals to data-center developers because it offers large, relatively inexpensive sites, a major fiber-optic network, and access to energy. The report says the state’s business-friendly permitting environment—and the Trump administration’s push to speed construction and weaken environmental requirements—also makes projects easier to build.

Matador is being developed by Fermi America, co-founded by a former Trump cabinet member and a billionaire. Its plans include extensive power infrastructure. The report says the project received permission to operate 93 gas turbines and is seeking approval to add more.

Local concerns and environmental costs

Residents living beside construction sites describe dust, noise, and the loss of vegetation. They also express anger over zoning changes and decisions they say were made without adequate consultation.

The report highlights the energy consequences of data centers’ demand, which can exceed the capacity of the public grid and prompt developers to build gas-fired power plants. Citing a report, it says at least 74 such plants may be needed across the United States, potentially emitting 662 million tonnes of greenhouse gases annually.

Water is another major issue. Many data centers use water for cooling, while the region depends on the Ogallala Aquifer, which replenishes slowly and is already heavily used for agriculture. A local official argues that data centers and industry can generate far more economic value per unit of water than farming. But that market-based view does not resolve farmers’ and residents’ concerns about water scarcity, health, and the future of their communities.

Project outlook and opposition

The project’s future is uncertain: Matador’s construction appears to be progressing slowly, and one of its founders has been removed from the company. Still, opposition to data centers is growing and spans political lines. The report notes that even some Trump supporters disagree with his support for the projects, while Texas Governor Greg Abbott has been pressured to retreat amid controversy.

Presenters and Contributors

• Reporter/director: Marc Bettinelli
• Interviewees named in the subtitles: Ashline, Rusty, Daniel (“Danny”), David Prescott, and Michael
• Production credits: Marceau Bretonnier, Arthur Navet, Gabriel Lecointre, Dorian Le Dastumer, Brieuc Beckers, Donald Walther, Syrielle Mejias, Fabien Leboucq, Barbara Marty, and Juliette Prigent