Texas conservatives oppose data center bill impacting energy plans

Conservatives in Texas are opposing a new bill that they believe will hinder President Donald Trump's plans for American energy and artificial intelligence (AI) growth. They argue that the proposed legislation, known as SB6, would give the state too much control over new data centers and could make Texas a less attractive location for investments. The bill focuses on regulating data centers, which are crucial for AI development. Critics claim that these regulations could limit competition and potentially give an advantage to countries like China in the AI sector. The opposition has gained traction on social media, with various conservative voices warning that the bill could derail Trump's vision of an energy "golden age." Supporters of SB6 argue that these regulations are necessary for the state's power grid, especially after failures during a severe winter storm in 2021. They believe that improving the grid's resilience will be essential to meet future energy demands. Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick maintains that the bill aligns with both his and Trump's agendas for AI and energy leadership. He claims that Texas is already the leading state for data center construction and continues to invest in its power infrastructure. Opponents, however, argue that the added regulations would drive up costs and complicate operations for smaller firms that rely on energy-intensive data centers. They warn that the bill could ultimately harm Texas's competitiveness in the rapidly growing AI industry.