Getting Fast, Reliable Power To Keep Up With The Texas Data Center Dash
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas predicts that the state's power demand will almost double by 2030, driven in part by data centers. Even for the state that produces the nation’s most electricity, this is a steep hill to climb.
These critical facilities are primarily powered by natural gas and renewable energy sources such as wind and solar. But as massive developments like Stargate, a $500B megaproject from OpenAI, SoftBank and Oracle, and GigaPop, an 800K SF data center in North Texas, begin to materialize, they need reliable power quickly and, most importantly, reliably.
To keep up with the Texas “data center dash,” power providers, such as the Houston-based Life Cycle Power, are getting creative. LCP provides mobile turbines to data centers for bridge, backup and permanent power needs.
“Developers are inevitably being pushed to halt or reconfigure projects due to a lack of power availability,” said Knoell Coombs, vice president of business development at Life Cycle Power. “There is a big trend toward mobile power strategies that can deploy rapidly and accommodate these growing data centers facing delays or congestion.”
Coombs will speak at Bisnow’s Data Center Investment Conference and Expo: South event on Aug. 6. Register here.
Bisnow spoke with Coombs, who has extensive experience in the oil and gas industry, about challenges facing the data center industry in Texas, trends the market is seeing, and how data center operators can prepare for the future and make sure their facilities are functioning seamlessly as energy demands grow.
Bisnow: How do you view the current state of the data center power market?
Coombs: The data center demand curve is steepening faster than infrastructure can keep up. Artificial intelligence workloads are accelerating the need for dense, scalable power solutions, but interconnection delays, grid congestion and long lead times for traditional infrastructure are creating serious bottlenecks. We're seeing a clear shift toward mobile and modular, fast-deployable power strategies that can bridge that gap. The gap is only becoming larger, too.
Bisnow: At this event, you’ll be speaking on the Powering the Future: On-Site Energy Strategies, Utilization Efficiency and Sustainable Design panel. How have energy strategies evolved in response to growing demands for resilience and sustainability?
Coombs: There’s growing recognition that grid access alone isn't enough. On-site strategies are evolving from backup-only to front-line solutions — cleaner, dispatchable and integrated into long-term design. At Life Cycle Power, we’re deploying mobile natural gas turbine generators that deliver both reliability and emissions compliance, giving developers more control over their sustainability goals without sacrificing uptime or footprint.
Bisnow: What are some pain points in power access or reliability, especially for data center developers or operators?
Coombs: The top pain points are grid interconnection delays, permitting hurdles and unpredictability in timelines. Developers are being forced to pause or redesign projects simply because power isn't available when or where they need it. Life Cycle Power is filling that gap by delivering megawatts on-site — in weeks, not years — so customers can stick to their timelines and scale with confidence.
Another pain point is and will continue to be the amount of new power providers in the industry with no real run history experience or support. I’m seeing some folks plan for months, only to be left with unreliable or even no delivery of power just before the startup date. With demand the way it is, there may not be power from another provider. If possible, choosing a power company with experience, who can provide references, is key.
Bisnow: How is LCP’s role in supporting data center developments shifting as the market quickly evolves?
Coombs: We’re currently supporting hyperscale and edge data centers across ERCOT and beyond, delivering clean, fast-start mobile gas turbine solutions. These are being used both for bridging power during construction and as resilient backup once operational.
Our role is evolving from an emergency provider to strategic infrastructure partner, working earlier in the design phase to align power deployment with long-term site planning.
Bisnow: What inspired you to speak at this event? Is there anything about the topic or the audience that stood out to you?
Coombs: This audience is shaping the next generation of digital infrastructure, and power is one of the biggest variables they face. I see this as a chance to bring real-world solutions into that conversation. At Life Cycle Power, we’re passionate about helping developers build more, wait less and decarbonize faster — and this platform is a great opportunity to share that story.
LCP is known in many industries for being the “trusted” and “execution” company. My goal is to ensure the data center industry knows that as well.
Register here for Bisnow’s DICE: South event on Aug. 6.
This article was produced in collaboration between Life Cycle Power and Studio B. Bisnow news staff was not involved in the production of this content.
Studio B is Bisnow’s in-house content and design studio. To learn more about how Studio B can help your team, reach out to studio@bisnow.com.
