New Big Data Center Set to Rise in Wichita Falls

New Data Center Brings Major Changes to Wichita Falls Area

A significant development is taking place in the Wichita Falls area as a new data center is set to be established. This project has already begun to impact the local community, with several changes being considered by Wichita County Commissioners. On Tuesday, the commissioners will review the proposal to rename some private roads along Old Gun Club Road east of Electra. The primary purpose of this renaming is to facilitate emergency services for a man camp, which is a temporary housing solution for construction workers involved in the data center’s development.

Man camps are commonly used in large-scale construction projects, particularly those involving data centers. These camps provide temporary living accommodations for workers who are not local residents. According to Commissioner Jeff Watts, the proposed man camp would include approximately 50 mobile homes located near warehouses that are part of the effort to build a data center near Oklaunion, a few miles west in Wilbarger County.

Watts revealed that search engine giant Google is planning to construct the data center at the site of the former Oklaunion power plant, which is now owned by Oklaunion Power Station. He described the situation as “a great big production going out there,” indicating the scale and importance of the project.

In addition to the man camp near Oklaunion, other similar facilities are also being established in the area. Watts noted that these camps require substantial space for trailers where workers can live while they are employed on the project. He shared that one landlord in Electra reported a complete lack of rental housing inventory due to the high demand caused by the construction activities.

The impact of the data center project is evident in the local economy. Watts mentioned that a restaurant in the town of 2,300 people is constantly busy. He humorously remarked that “you couldn’t wedge another pickup in there.” Additionally, a small RV park south of town on Highway 25 is fully occupied, with the area described as being “packed in there like sardines.”

Wichita Falls Assistant City Manager Paul Menzies said Oklaunion Power Station has approached the city about amending an existing contract for use of water from Lake Kemp for construction of a data center, but he had no confirmation on who would own it.

In September 2023, the Wichita Falls City Council voted to sell up to 20,000 acre-feet of water annually from Lake Kemp to OPS for the company to resell to a large hydrogen plant planned for the Oklaunion site.

The promoters of that plant eventually backed out.

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Menzies said the city is having discussions with OPS, but “we haven’t agreed to anything at this point.” He was not aware of any timeline for a decision.

He stressed that if an agreement is reached, it would not include sale of any additional water. OPS pays the city $1 million annually whether it uses water or not.

UPDATE

Water from the Lake Kemp/Lake diversion system is owned jointly by the city of Wichita Falls and Wichita County Water Improvement District No. 2, which provides agricultural irrigation.

Kyle Miller, manager of the water district, confirmed Monday afternoon his district has received the request from OPS, and the distirct’s board will consider it at a meeting Thursday.

The city processes some Lake Kemp water for residential use.

Google is confirmed to have plans to build two data centers in the area, one near Wichita Falls in Archer County and another near Vernon.

(This story was updated to add new information.)

This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: UPDATED Another big data center is headed for the Wichita Falls area

This surge in activity has brought a noticeable boost to the local community. The increased presence of workers and the associated economic activity have led to a sense of growth and development in the area. While the long-term effects of the data center remain to be seen, the immediate impact on the local infrastructure and businesses is clear.

As the project moves forward, it will be important to monitor how the community adapts to these changes. The establishment of the data center and the associated man camps represent a significant shift in the region’s landscape, with potential implications for employment, housing, and local services. For now, the area continues to experience a period of rapid transformation, driven by the ambitious plans of one of the world’s leading technology companies.