# She was building her dream home. Then came a data center's 'minor' power plant > Texas neighbor fights data center's hidden power plant permit loophole. - Title: She was building her dream home. Then came a data center's… - Summary: Texas neighbor fights data center's hidden power plant permit loophole. Merrie Saltana's family faces displacement after a data center's minor power plant… - Keywords: data centers, texas, power plants, minor source permits, air pollution, bastrop county, pacifico energy, anthropic, news, politics, world, building - Source: Straight Arrow — https://san.com/cc/she-was-building-her-dream-home-then-came-the-data-center-inside-a-key-loophole-for-minor-power-plants - Published: 2026-10-18T13:00:00+00:00 - Read time: 2 min - Topics: data centers, texas, power plants, minor source permits, air pollution, bastrop county, pacifico energy, anthropic, news, politics, world ## Merrie Saltana's dream home Merrie Saltana was three days from pouring concrete for her family's dream home when she heard about a data center's proposed power plant across the street. > Welcome to my little piece of Heaven, for now. ## Data center power plant The Pacifico Energy power plant, set to run 30% to 80% of the year, will produce 1.3 gigawatts of electricity for Anthropic's data center. > It was like somebody punched me in the gut. ## Minor source permit Texas regulators approved the power plant under a minor source permit, which requires no public notice or comment period before construction. > None of these projects are being considered holistically. ## Regulatory loophole Data centers use minor source permits to avoid public input, allowing them to build power plants without community oversight. > It’s allowed for a lot of loopholes and problematic determinations about what’s major and minor. ## Cumulative pollution Environmental groups warn that splitting large power installations into multiple minor permits leads to unreviewed cumulative pollution impacts. > There’s a big risk for air pollution to be worse than it would be if these were more regulated. ## Texas regulatory surge Texas saw a surge in minor source permits for data center power plants from 30 to 90 applications per year (2016-2023) to 158 in 2025. > In 2024 the agency received 122, followed by 158 in 2025. ## Neighbors' concerns Residents in Bastrop County worry about air pollution and the lack of community input for the Pacifico power plant. > I feel very dependent on these guys that are so knowledgeable and are really doing all the hard work. ## Legal challenges Environmental groups are challenging data centers for splitting power plants into multiple minor permits to avoid cumulative emissions reviews. > All of these generators are going to be on the same property and serving no other purpose other than powering Amazon’s facility. ## Regulatory process Texas regulators require no public notice or comment period for minor source permits, leaving residents with limited ability to challenge the project. > The only changes in the neighborhood were the surveying flags on the project site fluttering in a mellow breeze. ## Power plant capacity Pacifico's 48 turbines will generate 1.3 gigawatts of electricity, comparable to the largest nuclear reactors in the U.S. > Pacifico’s turbines will be on par with the largest nuclear reactor units in the U.S. ## Public meeting Residents held a meeting on October 7, 2026, to discuss the Pacifico power plant and data center project. > Part of our methodology has been to throw sand in gears and just slow this thing down. ## Health impacts A report estimates 177 gigawatts of gas power plants could lead to $5.6 billion in annual healthcare costs due to air pollution. > It might be conservative because this lack of oversight we’re talking about could lead to them emitting more than is in their permitted limit. ## Construction timeline The Pacifico power plant is pending approval as of mid-October 2026, with construction expected to begin in November. > The power plant and data center campus are looking to move forward with the first phase of construction at the end of November. ## Community impact Residents face displacement risks as the data center and power plant threaten their homes and community. > Who’s gonna want to buy next to a data center, especially this type of data center next to a power plant? ## What happens next Texas regulators are pausing data center approvals while they audit grid connections, with the Pacifico project pending approval until December. > The audit is expected to wrap up in December. ## Key takeaway Merrie Saltana's family faces displacement after a data center's minor power plant, approved without public input, threatens their home in Bastrop County, Texas.