FROM THE BACKROADS

If you’ve driven around Normangee lately, you don’t need a press release to tell you the industrial wave has landed. Take a ride up FM 3 and it’s a non-stop parade of white fleet trucks, heavy dust, and hauled gear.

I used to run Huntsville to Hearne back in the day, where the biggest hold-up was dropping a few bucks in the boot for the local volunteer fire department at Highway 30 and 90. Now, you take your life in your hands just trying to cross the road, while new gas stations and concrete swallow up the quiet corners.

Look, I’ve been around long enough to respect new business, but there’s always a trade-off. The sheer weight of these rigs is already beating the daylights out of country roads that weren't built for it.

Our job as taxpayers isn't to stand in the way of progress—it’s to make darn sure our roads, rural grids, and local families aren't left holding the bag while someone else cashes the check. We’re going to keep digging into what this means for our land and electric bills. In the meantime, get your truck’s AC blowing cold—big-city traffic just parked in our front yard.

— Rick

1. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE: Abbott's Grid Connection Freeze

On August 3, 2026, Governor Greg Abbott issued a blunt directive ordering the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) and ERCOT to halt all new data center grid connections until a comprehensive audit of the interconnection queue is completed.

To put this freeze in perspective, look at the staggering numbers behind the interconnection queue. ERCOT is currently tracking over 1,800 active projects representing more than 474 gigawatts (GW) of electricity demand — nearly 90 percent of which are data centers. For scale, 474 GW is more than five times the state's record peak electricity demand of approximately 91.3 GW.

According to an energy market analysis by BloombergNEF (BNEF), this regulatory pause is a massive event that puts between $8 billion and $15 billion of project value at risk and could delay 49.8 GW of data center load (representing nearly 20% of the entire U.S. data center development pipeline).

If your crew is working on a site, here is what you need to know about what is actually paused versus what isn't:

2. WHAT'S GOING UP: Major Projects and Active Sites

Despite the statewide grid freeze, massive pockets of activity continue to move forward, particularly those leveraging on-site power or pre-existing approvals.

The Abilene AI Factory (900 MW Campus) On March 27, 2026, Crusoe Energy and Microsoft broke ground on a massive 900 megawatt (MW) AI factory campus in Abilene. The project includes two buildings designed to deliver 336 MW of critical IT load each, along with an integrated 900 MW behind-the-meter power plant and battery storage systems. Because this site generates its own power, it is largely insulated from the ERCOT freeze.

Waco Lacy Lakeview Campus ($10 Billion) Approved in December 2025, Infrakey is moving forward with a massive $10 billion data center campus in Lacy Lakeview. The project is approved for up to six data centers across 520 acres, representing a massive long-term pipeline for mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and civil trades.

Grimes County SpaceX "Terafab" Expansion SpaceX is actively building its "Terafab" facility in Grimes County, which has become the epicenter of local growth.

The Vantage "Frontier" Mega-Campus ($25 Billion) Unveiled in August 2025, Vantage Data Centers is planning the biggest project in state history: a $25 billion mega-campus in Shackelford County. The plans call for a 1.4 GW development spanning 10 data centers across 3.7 million square feet.

Round Rock Sabey Campus Sabey Data Centers has completed its first building (an 84 MW campus) in Round Rock, and a second 54 MW liquid-cooled building is actively under construction.

See www.texasfootprint.com for work options. For good or bad it’s here to maybe help a little bit, we all need to feed our families.

Subject: What’s Happening in Leon & Grimes Counties Next Week! 🎡🏍️

Preview Text: Dirt track racing, square-side markets, live music, and local community gatherings.

Hello Neighbor!

Looking for plans next week? Whether you're hunting for fresh farm-to-table produce, looking to catch some high-energy dirt track racing, or wanting to enjoy live local music, we’ve gathered the top upcoming events around our area.

Here is what's coming up across Leon and Grimes counties!

🏍️ Lonestar Flat Track Racing

🧺 Centerville Farmers Market

🎶 Navasota Live Music & Downtown Walk

🎱 Plantersville Town Hall

🚜 Brazos Valley Farmers Market

Have a community event or update coming up in a future week? Hit reply and let us know so we can share it with the neighborhood!