This Month's Latest Tech News in Amarillo, TX - Sunday August 31st 2025 Edition

Weekly Commentary: Amarillo at the center of an energy-AI crossroads - Fermi America's HyperGrid is reshaping what a data-and-power campus looks like: an 18 million sq ft site aiming for 11 GW of AI capacity backed by a Macquarie-led financing package that included $100M in Series C equity and a $250M senior loan facility (with $100M drawn), signaling fast-moving capital toward a hybrid energy mix of natural gas, solar, wind and planned Westinghouse AP1000 reactors; read the Datacenter Dynamics coverage of the Macquarie investment: Datacenter Dynamics coverage of Macquarie investment in Fermi America's HyperGrid.

The Texas Tech University System partnership and MOUs for HALEU and nuclear components tie workforce and research to the buildout, so local careers will matter as much as megawatts - for professionals looking to ride the AI-energy wave, the AI Essentials for Work bootcamp offers practical skills and prompt-writing training to bridge into these emerging roles: AI Essentials for Work bootcamp registration and course details.

Keep an eye on timelines, water and oversight concerns as construction gears up.

Key fact	Detail
Project	HyperGrid AI campus (Fermi America)
Location	Amarillo / Carson County, Texas
Size & capacity	~18 million sq ft, target 11 GW IT capacity
Financing	$100M Series C; $250M senior loan facility (Macquarie)
Energy mix / plans	Natural gas, solar, wind, batteries, and four AP1000 nuclear reactors
Partner	Texas Tech University System; MoUs with Hyundai, Doosan, ASP Isotopes / QLE

“Macquarie's leadership in both our Series C and senior loan facility underscores their conviction that our speed of execution is based on our team's experience in real-time power generation and construction,” - Toby Neugebauer, Co‑Founder & CEO, Fermi America

Headline 1 - World's largest advanced energy + AI campus planned near Amarillo: Fermi America's HyperGrid promises a new model for colocated power and compute - a privately built, 5,800‑acre Advanced Energy and Intelligence Campus with roughly 18 million sq ft of data centers and a target of up to 11 GW of IT capacity, backed by Macquarie's financing (a $100M Series C and a $250M senior loan facility) and early gas, renewables and nuclear commitments; read Datacenter Dynamics' coverage of the Macquarie investment for funding and scale details Datacenter Dynamics coverage of Macquarie investment in Fermi America, and see how partners from Westinghouse to Doosan and Hyundai are lining up on licensing and reactor planning in reporting from Datacenter Dynamics and RCR Wireless Datacenter Dynamics report on the COLA with Westinghouse; the roadmap aims for 1 GW online by 2026 and long‑term nuclear supply from four AP1000 units, a scale that planners say could produce roughly the electricity equivalent of millions of homes - making Amarillo not just a data center site but a purpose‑built energy megahub that reshapes workforce, water and permitting conversations for the region.

Key fact	Detail
Project	HyperGrid / Advanced Energy & Intelligence Campus
Location	Near Amarillo, Texas (5,800 acres)
Campus size & IT capacity	~18 million sq ft; target ~11 GW IT capacity
Funding	$100M Series C; $250M senior loan facility (Macquarie)
Energy mix	Natural gas, solar, wind, batteries, and planned Westinghouse AP1000 nuclear
Near-term target	1 GW online by 2026

“Macquarie's leadership in both our Series C and senior loan facility underscores their conviction that our speed of execution is based on our team's experience in real-time power generation and construction,” - Toby Neugebauer, Co‑Founder & CEO, Fermi America

Headline 2 - Fermi secures >600 MW of natural-gas generation & turbine purchases: the mechanics behind stacking hundreds of megawatts are on full display in industry rollouts from Siemens Energy and Eaton - their modular, on-site plants use Siemens' SGT‑800 gas turbines (rated roughly 45–62 MW each) to build a standard 500 MW configuration with N+2 redundancy, integrated battery storage and hydrogen‑readiness, a modular approach that makes it straightforward to scale past the 600 MW mark by adding turbine trains and storage; the playbook promises faster, grid‑independent deployment for hyperscale sites, cutting time‑to‑market by up to two years (a speedup industry experts say can translate into $2–3 billion in incremental revenue on a 500 MW facility) and turning data centers into dispatchable grid partners rather than pure consumers.

For technical highlights on the SGT‑800 and the Eaton‑Siemens packaged solution see Siemens Energy SGT-800 technical overview and the Eaton and Siemens Energy data-center solution specifications and deployment notes for full specs and deployment notes.

Spec	Detail
Turbine model	Siemens Energy SGT‑800 (45–62 MW per unit)
Standard plant config	500 MW modular, N+2 redundant with battery integration
Fuel & future readiness	Natural gas today; H2‑ready (up to ~75% vol) and biofuel-capable
Deployment benefit	Faster market entry (up to ~2 years saved) and grid‑interactive operation

“It's not the GPU that has the biggest bottleneck anymore. It is power.” - Cyrille Brisson, global data center leader at Eaton

Headline 3 - Westinghouse partnership and NRC COLA for AP1000 reactors: Fermi America has formally tapped Westinghouse to finish the Combined Operating License Application (COLA) submitted to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission on June 17, 2025, aiming to site four modular AP1000® reactors at the HyperGrid campus and make clean, dispatchable nuclear a core part of the 11 GW power mix.

The AP1000 is a Generation III+ pressurized water design noted for fully passive safety systems and modular construction; each unit delivers roughly 1,100 MWe, so four units would add about 4,400 MWe of on-site capacity.

The move leans on a recently extended AP1000 U.S. design certification and signals an intent to pair large-scale compute with construction‑ready nuclear tech - an approach covered in both the Westinghouse announcement and industry reporting on the COLA review process.

Watch the regulatory timeline closely: NRC review steps and public engagement will shape how fast these reactors can move from application to on‑site construction.

Read the Westinghouse release and Datacenter Dynamics coverage for the official details and next steps.

Key fact	Detail
COLA submission	Submitted to NRC on 2025-06-17 (Fermi America)
Planned units	Four AP1000® reactors
Unit output	Approximately 1,100 MWe per reactor (~4,400 MWe total)
AP1000 status	U.S. design certification recently extended (through 2046)
NRC docket	Fermi America Units 1–4: COLA received in part

“As the only fully licensed, construction-ready advanced modular reactor available today, the AP1000 technology is ready to deliver the power needed to unlock the full potential of next-generation artificial intelligence.” - Dan Lipman, President, Energy Systems, Westinghouse

Headline 4 - Hyundai E&C MoU to support nuclear delivery for the HyperGrid: Fermi America and South Korea's Hyundai Engineering & Construction signed a memorandum of understanding in Seoul to jointly plan, design (FEED) and pursue an EPC for the nuclear component of the HyperGrid, aiming to lock in detailed work packages that would support four AP1000 reactors as part of an 11 GW hybrid energy campus; coverage from World Nuclear News explains the terms of the agreement and the Seoul signing, and Datacenter Dynamics highlights Hyundai's role in delivering what Fermi calls the largest nuclear power complex in America to power hyperscale AI workloads World Nuclear News report on Fermi America and Hyundai E&C partnership and Datacenter Dynamics report on Hyundai delivering nuclear power to Fermi America's 11GW AI campus in Amarillo.

The pact pairs Hyundai's recent new-build track record (including Barakah) with Fermi's rapid COLA progress, with construction planning set to accelerate in 2026 and the first reactor targeted for commercial operation by 2032 - a partnership aimed at turning a Texas Panhandle site into a purpose‑built, behind‑the‑meter power hub for AI, where nuclear baseload and fast gas/renewables will work in concert.

Key fact	Detail
Project	HyperGrid - Advanced Energy & Intelligence Campus (Amarillo, TX)
Partners	Fermi America & Hyundai E&C (MoU signed in Seoul)
Scope of MoU	Joint planning, FEED, feasibility studies, detailed work packages, pursue EPC
Nuclear plan	Four Westinghouse AP1000 reactors (part of 11 GW target)
Timeline	Construction planning in 2026; first reactor targeted by 2032

“We couldn't be more pleased to partner with the team at Hyundai E&C to power the future of AI,” - Toby Neugebauer, Co‑Founder, Fermi America
“We are especially pleased to see familiar faces in nuclear leadership… and we look forward to working together to bring this ambitious vision to life.” - Hanwoo Lee, CEO, Hyundai E&C

Headline 5 - CoreWeave lease converts Helios crypto site to AI/HPC center: Galaxy Digital is remaking the former Argo Blockchain cavern in Dickens County into a massive AI hub, signing a 15‑year hosting commitment with CoreWeave and closing a $1.4 billion project financing to fast‑track the retrofit; recent filings show Galaxy will add roughly 260 MW of incremental critical IT load for CoreWeave and, across phased agreements, CoreWeave has now locked in up to 800 MW of approved power capacity at Helios, positioning the site as one of the largest dedicated AI/HPC campuses in the U.S. The conversion includes selective demolition of the existing 126,000‑sq‑ft shell, new fiber and optical networking, and a plan to deliver capacity in stages (early phases cited at ~133–200 MW), with Galaxy projecting multibillion‑dollar revenue over the lease term - a transformation that turns a once‑noisy bitcoin mine into a purpose‑built GPU campus capable of serving hyperscale AI customers; read Galaxy Digital's press release on the Helios conversion and ConvergeDigest's financing and capacity breakdown for full details.

Key fact	Detail
Tenant / term	CoreWeave - 15‑year lease
Incremental IT load	~260 MW (recent commitment)
Phased capacity	Earlier phases cited ~133–200 MW; total locked up to 800 MW
Financing	$1.4B project facility + $350M equity from Galaxy
Location	Helios data center campus, Dickens County, West Texas

“This financing marks a major milestone in our transformation of Helios into a next‑generation AI and HPC datacenter campus,” - Mike Novogratz, Founder & CEO, Galaxy

Galaxy Digital press release on the Helios conversion | ConvergeDigest analysis of the financing and capacity lock‑in

Headline 6 - Fermi frames HyperGrid as a $300B investment with workforce commitments: Fermi America and the Texas Tech University System are selling HyperGrid as a transformative, multibillion‑dollar energy‑and‑AI campus - local reporting and the TTU release describe an ~18 million sq ft, up-to‑11 GW site on roughly 5,800 acres with an initial reported development price tag of about $11 billion - and leaders stress that the project is as much about people as power, promising classroom and research space, internship rotations for computer‑science and engineering students, workforce training and a dedicated “excellence fund” to support scholarships and research.

The pitch links near‑term milestones (the first gigawatt targeted by 2026) to long‑term regional hiring and research pipelines, positioning the campus as a recruiting magnet for West Texas while tying academic programs directly to on‑site operations and construction planning; read TTU's announcement and local coverage for the details and timeline Texas Tech University System announcement on the Fermi America partnership and Amarillo Globe-News report on the $11B HyperGrid AI campus.

Fact	Detail
Reported development cost	~$11 billion (local reporting)
Site & scale	~5,800 acres; ~18 million sq ft of data centers
Target capacity	Up to ~11 GW IT capacity; 1 GW aimed by 2026
Workforce commitments	Internships, rotations, training programs, excellence fund

“The Texas Tech University System is proud to partner with Fermi America on this historic endeavor,” - Chancellor Tedd L. Mitchell, M.D.

Headline 7 - Local concerns: water, environment, oversight and transparency gaps - As Amarillo's HyperGrid plans push megawatts and square footage, nearby communities are sounding the same alarm that has followed hyperscale builds elsewhere: wells and pipes feeling the strain, murky runoff after heavy construction, and little public visibility into real water withdrawals or long‑term planning.

Local officials and residents point to real stories - like the Morris family next to a Meta site who saw taps fail and ended up with ongoing costs and contamination concerns (reported in the New York Times report on Meta data center water impacts) - and experts warn that AI‑scale campuses can demand water at enormous scales (estimates include trillions of gallons globally and facilities that can use millions of gallons per day).

The gap is procedural as much as technical: disclosures are uneven, municipal reporting often treats data‑center water as a “black box,” and policy lags behind buildout rhythms, which leaves residents debating mitigation, alternative cooling, and whether promised community benefits will offset the visible costs - from hauling buckets to flush toilets to paying for a new well.

Fact	Detail (source)
Local household impacts	Household plumbing failures, ~$5,000 spent; ~$25,000 estimated to replace a well (NYT)
Regional / Great Lakes risk	Estimate: data centres could use >365 million gallons/year regionally (Block Club / Alliance report)
Scale of large facilities	Some large AI-capable data centres may use up to ~5 million gallons/day (EESI)

“I can't drink the water.” - Beverly Morris

Headline 8 - Duos Edge AI demonstrates Amarillo edge data center for congressional staff: on July 29, 2025 Duos Edge AI opened its SOC 2 Type II‑compliant, modular Amarillo facility to staff from Congressman Ronny Jackson's office and Region 16 leaders, using the tour to show how an N+1 architecture with redundant power and backup generators can deliver 100+ kW per cabinet and rapid, 90‑day deployments to support K‑12, telehealth and rural broadband needs.

The demonstration framed edge computing not as an abstract policy brief but as a tangible rack, a resilient power train, and a pathway to keep classrooms and clinics online - an easy visual for policymakers deciding how federal and local investments translate to real connectivity across the Texas Panhandle.

Fact	Detail
Date	July 29, 2025 (visit)
Compliance	SOC 2 Type II
Architecture	N+1 with redundant power & backup generators
Capacity	100+ kW per cabinet; modular pods (≈15 cabinets)
Partners / Purpose	Region 16 ESC - support for 60 school districts, rural broadband, telehealth

“Hosting Congressman Jackson's staff gave us the opportunity to demonstrate how our Amarillo data center is supporting the region's digital future.” - Dave Irek, VP of Business Development, Duos Edge AI

Headline 9 - National energy/water reports show AI data center demand pressures: a series of major studies makes clear that Amarillo's ambitions sit inside a national surge in electricity needs - Goldman Sachs Research warns global data‑center power demand could rise 50% by 2027 and as much as 165% by 2030, pushing global capacity from roughly 55 GW today toward an estimated 84 GW by 2027 (and occupancy rates above 95% in late 2026), while the IEA's Energy and AI report projects data‑centre electricity use could more than double to about 945 TWh by 2030 - roughly the same consumption as Japan today - underscoring why planners are piling on on‑site generation, nuclear options and storage to avoid transmission bottlenecks; read the Goldman Sachs forecast and the IEA special report for the full modeling and policy takeaways.

The bottom line: rapid AI growth is not just a compute story but a grid, cooling and permitting story too, and the region's water and transmission tradeoffs will matter as much as megawatts when timelines collide with local utilities and communities.

Key fact	Detail
Goldman Sachs projection	+50% power demand by 2027; up to +165% by 2030 (vs 2023)
Power capacity (current → 2027)	~55 GW today → ~84 GW by 2027
IEA 2030 projection	Data‑centre electricity ≈ 945 TWh (≈ Japan's current consumption)
Grid investment need	Goldman Sachs estimate: ~ $720 billion of grid spending through 2030

“AI is one of the biggest stories in the energy world today – but until now, policy makers and markets lacked the tools to fully understand the wide-ranging impacts.” - Fatih Birol, IEA Executive Director

Headline 10 - Local politics: Amarillo city council forum highlights tech/energy debates - At a packed First Family Church auditorium candidates for Places 1–4 traded two‑minute answers on infrastructure, transparency and how Amarillo should position itself for massive projects like Fermi America's HyperGrid, turning routine council business into a local debate about power, water and oversight; the Amarillo Globe‑News forum captured calls to streamline permitting, strengthen the electric grid “so we can attract AI and tech firms,” and tighten Amarillo Economic Development Corporation accountability while voters prepare for the May 3 election (see the Globe‑News recap and deeper context in the Amarillo Tribune's HyperGrid coverage).

The forum's push‑and‑pull - from code audits and zero‑based budgeting to promises of internships and workforce pipelines - made clear that tech megaprojects have migrated from boardrooms into town halls, where residents expect concrete answers on wells, lines and who's watching the ledger.

Fact	Detail
Forum	Amarillo City Council candidate forum - First Family Church Auditorium
Election date	May 3, 2025 (General Election)
Main topics	Electric grid readiness, water/infrastructure, AEDC oversight, permitting
Notable link	Amarillo Globe-News coverage of the city council candidate forum
Local tech tie	Amarillo Tribune report on the HyperGrid advanced nuclear and AI campus announcement

“And if we want AI and tech firms, we need an electric grid that's up to the task.” - Tim Reid, Place 1 candidate

Conclusion: What to watch next and why Amarillo matters - Amarillo has moved from plan to process: Fermi America's COLA was filed June 17, 2025 and the site is now racing regulatory, construction and community timelines that will decide whether the HyperGrid becomes a regional power‑and‑compute hub or a long, contested build.

Key near‑term triggers to watch are the NRC review and public hearing schedule (and how NEIMA/EO‑driven milestones reshape timing), the ramp to 1 GW of capacity by 2026 via interim gas generation, and the early‑2030s target for the first AP1000 unit (press coverage cites 2031–2032 timelines); see the Amarillo Tribune's local breakdown and Datacenter Dynamics' report on the Westinghouse partnership for details.

Water remains a live issue too: Fermi says AP1000s will use air‑cooled condensers with projected water use under ~50 acre‑feet/year (about 16.3M gallons - roughly what 112 households use annually), a practical anchor for community tradeoffs.

For anyone tracking jobs, grid risk or the next wave of AI infrastructure, Amarillo's permitting decisions and NRC milestones will be the story of the season.

What to watch	Why it matters
COLA / NRC review	COLA filed 2025-06-17; review and public hearings shape construction start
Near-term power	1 GW target by 2026 via gas turbines; keeps data loads online before nuclear
First AP1000 timing	Early‑2030s target (press cites 2031–2032) - determines workforce and supply schedules
Water use	AP1000 cooling ~<50 acre‑ft/yr (~16.3M gallons) - central to local acceptance

“As the only fully licensed, construction-ready advanced modular reactor available today, the AP1000 technology is ready to deliver the power needed to unlock the full potential of next-generation artificial intelligence.” - Dan Lipman, President, Energy Systems, Westinghouse (Datacenter Dynamics coverage of Fermi-Westinghouse licensing for the Amarillo AI campus)