Sourced data table — ERCOT grid, data center wages, workforce, regulations
← Back to TFP ResourcesWe dig deep for our figures because trade data only matters when it's accurate. No guesswork, no assumed numbers. Having spent years turning wrenches, working in 130-degree attics, and hitting ourselves with plenty of tools, we respect the industry too much to offer anything less than facts.
| Location | Value | Unit | Metric / Description | Industry / Project | Law / Regulation | Src |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas (ERCOT) | 474 | GW | Total volume of Large Load interconnection requests in queue (Data Centers, Crypto, Industrial, Hydrogen) | Data Center / Industrial Grid Interconnection | SB 6; Gov. Abbott Directive (Aug 2026) | 1,2,3 |
| Texas (ERCOT) | 420,812 | MW | Large load amount specifically requested by Data Centers | Data Center Industry | SB 6 | 2 |
| Lacy Lakeview (Waco) | $10B | USD | Total investment for a massive 6-building data center campus on 520 acres | Infrakey Data Center Campus | Local Approval (Dec 2025) | 3 |
| Texas | $8B | USD | Potential revenue losses by Q1 2027 if delayed capacity is AI-related | Data Center Construction | Gov. Abbott Directive (Aug 3, 2026) | 4 |
| Texas | $6.9B | USD | ARPA funds appropriated to repay Title XII federal advances | Unemployment Trust Fund | SB 8 | 5 |
| Texas | $3B | USD | Unemployment benefits paid to employees | Unemployment Insurance (UI) program | — | 5 |
| Texas (ERCOT) | $22.5B | USD | Total estimated cost of proposed transmission improvements | Transmission Infrastructure | — | 6 |
| Texas (ERCOT) | $12.1B | USD | Transmission Projects endorsed in 2026 | Transmission Infrastructure | — | 6 |
| Texas | 1,800 | projects | Data center projects frozen/affected in the ERCOT queue due to grid connection halt | Data Center Grid Interconnection | Gov. Abbott Directive (Aug 2026) | 1,3 |
| Texas (ERCOT) | 1,949 | requests | Total active generation interconnection requests | Power Generation Industry | Planning Guide §5.2.5 | 6,2 |
| Texas (ERCOT) | 171,000 | MW | Total Battery capacity in Interconnection Queue | Energy Storage | Planning Guide §5.2.5 | 6 |
| Texas (ERCOT) | 162,000 | MW | Total Solar capacity in Interconnection Queue | Solar Energy | Planning Guide §5.2.5 | 6 |
| Texas (ERCOT) | 82,772 | MW | New record peak demand set in June 2026 | Electric Power Generation/Transmission | — | 6 |
| Texas (ERCOT) | 64.8 | GW | Total large load interconnection queue for 2026 | Large Load Interconnection | §9.4/9.5 Requirements | 6 |
| Texas (ERCOT) | 205 | GW | Large Load eligible for inclusion in Batch Zero based on existing studies | ERCOT Batch Zero Study | SB 6 | 6 |
| Texas (ERCOT Grid) | 10,848 | MW | New generation capacity added since summer 2025 (incl. 1,200 MW natural gas) | ERCOT Power Grid Infrastructure | Texas Energy Fund | 9 |
| Texas (ERCOT Grid) | 4,942 | MW | New storage capacity added (representing 10,536 MWh) | Energy Storage Resources | — | 9 |
| Texas | $20B | USD/20yr | Dedicated fund for water projects over 20 years | Water Infrastructure | Texas Water Project Fund | 1 |
| San Marcos | 283 | amendments | Total amendments incorporated into the Land Development Code | Development Code Update 2026 | — | 7 |
| San Marcos | 4 to 3 | vote | City Council vote result to ban data centers within city limits | Zoning / Data Centers | San Marcos Data Center Ban (Jun 2026) | 1,3 |
| Texas | $200M | USD | Minimum investment required to qualify for data center sales tax exemption | Data Center Development | TX Sales Tax Exemption (facilities >100,000 sq ft) | 4 |
| Texas | $50,000 | USD/MW | Financial security requirement for large-load interconnection (ILLE) | Data Center Construction | SB 6; 16 TAC §25.194; PGRR 145 | 1,2 |
| Texas (ERCOT Grid) | 60 | meetings | Meetings held with market participants in early 2026 re: Batch Study framework | Batch Study Framework | SB 6 | 9 |
| Texas (ERCOT Grid) | 8 | workshops | Batch Study Workshops held between February and May 2026 | Batch Study Framework | SB 6 | 9 |
| San Antonio ISD | $600M | USD | Total value of bond propositions in November election | Public Education Infrastructure | Bond propositions | 10 |
| United States | $63K–$71K | USD/yr | BLS national median annual wage for electricians (base, 40-hr standard commercial/residential) | Construction Skilled Trades (BLS baseline) | — | 8 |
| United States | $57K–$60K | USD/yr | BLS national median annual wage for HVAC/mechanical (base, 40-hr standard commercial/residential) | Construction Skilled Trades (BLS baseline) | — | 8 |
| United States | $62,000 | USD/yr | BLS national median annual wage for electricians and plumbers combined | Construction Skilled Trades | — | 8 |
| Central Texas | 32% | premium | Data center wage premium over standard non-DC commercial construction rates ($81,800 DC avg vs $62,000 non-DC avg) | Data Center Construction | — | 4,11 |
| Central Texas | $94,500 | USD/yr | Base median salary for Data Center Electricians (40-hr, before overtime) | Data Center Construction | — | 1 |
| Central Texas | $81,800 | USD/yr | Average annual pay for Data Center Construction workers (mixed trades, base) | Data Center Construction | — | 1 |
| Central Texas | $120K–$150K | USD/yr | Median annual pay for Data Center Electricians with standard DC overtime (50–60 hr weeks) | Data Center Construction | — | 12 |
| Plano, TX | $260,000 | USD/yr | Top annual pay for Data Center Electricians — Mike Rowe reported meeting electricians at a Plano TX data center making $260K/yr | Data Center Construction — Top Earners | — | 13 |
| Central Texas | $140K–$180K+ | USD/yr | High-end annual pay for specialized DC trades (MV electricians, commissioning, liquid cooling) with heavy OT + per diem (60–70 hr weeks, 7×12s) | Data Center Construction — High Specialization | — | 1,4 |
| Central Texas | $35 | USD/hr | Hourly wage for experienced foremen on data center scopes | Skilled Trades | — | 4 |
| Central Texas | $100–$180 | USD/day | Untaxed per diem for travel crews on data center buildout phases | Data Center Construction — Travel Crews | — | 4 |
| Central Texas | 2 to 5 | years | Duration of apprenticeship programs (IBEW, UA, ABC) depending on trade — IBEW apprentices paid from day one, earn while learning | Workforce Training / Skilled Trades | NCCER-accredited | 1,8,3,14 |
| San Antonio, TX | 18% | growth | Growth in electrical apprenticeship enrollment from 2023 to 2025 | ABC South Texas Apprenticeship | Registered Apprenticeship Program | 4 |
| Texas | 349,000 | workers | Number of new construction workers needed by 2026 | Workforce Development | — | 4 |
| Texas | 92% | of firms | Construction firms struggling to find skilled workers | Construction Industry | — | 4 |