Collaboration Acquires Land for Midland Data Center

Strategic Partnership for Data Center Development in Midland County

A significant collaboration is taking shape to drive the development of data centers in Midland County. Two local companies, FO Permian Partners and HiVolt Energy, have secured a 320-acre parcel located 30 minutes southeast of downtown Midland. This land is now available for immediate development, marking a major step forward in the region's infrastructure growth.

Davis Farish, co-founder and partner at FO Permian, emphasized the importance of this acquisition. “We have 320 acres under option with a prominent landowner, 30 minutes from downtown Midland. So now the real work begins, and we still have a steep hill to climb to attract a premier data center builder to West Texas, but we’ve built a solid foundation at base camp and now have the pieces in place to make it happen,” he said.

The first phase of the project includes guaranteed initial delivery of 150 megawatts of behind-the-meter natural gas, which is equivalent to what the entire city of Midland consumes during its lowest-demand hours in the winter. This could be operational as early as next year. The potential for expansion is substantial, with the ability to reach multiple gigawatts of capacity.

The project is supported by more than 5 gigawatts of dedicated natural gas supply, prime development land, abundant water resources, and diverse fiber routes. These factors enable large-scale deployments that are independent of the U.S. electrical grid. This independence is crucial for ensuring reliability and scalability.

Josh Evans, president and CEO of HiVolt Energy, highlighted the company’s long-term vision. “We have seen projects across the Permian Basin with oil companies, and we’ve been working toward data centers for some time,” he said.

Andy Deck, chief commercial officer at HiVolt, pointed out the advantages of having both companies headquartered in Midland. “With both companies headquartered in Midland, I liked that Farish and co-founder Jose Ortega were natives of the Permian Basin. A lot of times, big projects like this, people take a lot of value out of the Permian Basin. We liked the ability to keep value in the Permian Basin,” he said.

This initial site is part of a contiguous 3,200-acre tract, offering a clear path for hyperscale or co-location growth. With more than 5 gigawatts of natural gas availability and power infrastructure operated by HiVolt Energy, an independent power producer with seasoned local experience, the platform can scale generation capacity to match virtually any data center build-out. Phase 1 will use a platform of custom reciprocating engines supported by a redundant battery system designed to meet load-response requirements and reliability standards.

Evans noted that the company does not expect any issues obtaining needed equipment. “We have strategic relationships with our suppliers. We have a line of sight on what we will need,” he said.

The Permian Basin has a rare opportunity to establish itself as a premier location for one of the most significant infrastructure build-outs in modern history — a new industrial revolution powered by computation factories. Farish emphasized that the data center alone will bring nearly $4.5 billion of construction and hardware investment, creating opportunities for local jobs and businesses.

The demand for artificial intelligence (AI) is growing rapidly. U.S. data center electricity consumption is projected to grow from 44 gigawatts today to 156 gigawatts by 2030, according to Farish. “But what really sets the Permian apart is our people. The Permian Basin offers abundant land, low-cost natural gas, and extensive infrastructure. But it’s the grit, ingenuity, and wildcat spirit of West Texans that make this vision possible.”

Farish concluded by stating that FO Permian Partners and HiVolt are proud to stand as the first 100% local endeavor, driven by West Texas business, civic, and investment leaders working together to charge ahead.