Energy reality forces tech to ditch climate virtue-signaling

Crews in Pecos County, Texas are clearing scrubland for a natural-gas power plant tied to Amazon. The facility, expected to reach more than 7 gigawatts of capacity through 35 turbines, would allow emissions of 33 million tons of greenhouse gases per year—about double a top Alabama coal plant. The project echoes comments from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who at a U.N. climate summit pledged $2 billion “to restore” nature. Meanwhile, data-center demand is pulling major tech firms toward gas: Microsoft signed a 20-year power deal with a Chevron plant, and Meta tripled an investment plan in 2026 to fund 10 gas plants totaling nearly $11 billion. Regulators have warned households could absorb mismatches between turbine life and underwritten revenue.