Beacon to Bypass Gov. Abbott's Approval?

Beacon Data Centers is yet to commit to Governor Gregg Abbott's data center requirements.  They may not need to given their project is not requesting access to the Texas electrical grid according to the Concho Observer.

Skybox committed.  Emergent committed, as did Cipher Digital.  These three names are associated with two planned data centers in northeast San Angelo.  

Emergent and Cipher Digital are competing for grid power in this ERCOT application round.

Beacon is counting on ERCOT to approach them for connection.  Beacon's power plant of 280 generators (240 gas & 40 diesel) will need to avoid Spring Creek's floodplain.

Financing will be the big hurdle for all three projects.  Cipher Digital already inked several major customers.  Emergent and Beacon are currently marketing their wares to various TechGods.

All three could make and conversely, none could come to fruition.  That's not reassuring to residents of Dove Creek or northeast San Angelo neighborhoods.

State government does not have our backs.  That said, Rep. Drew Darby has asked Beacon Data Centers to be more forthcoming regarding its air emission plans.  Future issues to address include water (which shifted from surface only to drilling wells), noise, the project's heat signature and traffic.  

Beacon executives said "we wouldn't be a good neighbor if we did that."  The next time he showed up "that" was in their plans.  No wonder they don't want more public meetings given they plan to be a bad neighbor.

Update 8-25-26:  It remains to be seen if TCEQ holds a public meeting on Beacon's air emissions application.

Residents have until Friday, Aug. 14, to file a written protest with the TCEQ about Beacon Data Centers' air quality permit applications. The TCEQ will make a decision about whether to hold a public hearing on the company's air quality permit applications based on community input.

Update 8-26-26:  InsideClimateNews wrote about emissions from numerous Texas data centers, including Westline.

George P. Bush indicated two of the three possible data centers may come to fruition at a Chamber of Commerce sponsored event.

Camp Mystic Shuffled Funds to Insiders before Bankruptcy

A bankruptcy filing shed light on Camp Mystic's finances according to KERA News:

....filing also shows Camp Mystic reported about $774,000 in payments or transfers benefiting company insiders between June 2025 and April 2026. That category includes managers of the company, their relatives and affiliated businesses. 

The largest share — $480,000 — went to Natural Fountains Properties Inc., an affiliated company that owns property used by the camp. Camp Mystic paid the company $80,000 a month in rent from July through December 2025. 

Edward Eastland, a manager of Camp Mystic, received about $69,800 during the period covered by the filing. 

George Eastland received about $60,300, while Richard Eastland Jr. received about $59,200. Together with compensation paid to their spouses, the six members of the Eastland family received nearly $300,000 since June 30, 2025.

More than 130 people died across the region, including 25 campers and two counselors at Camp Mystic, along with camp owner and executive director Dick Eastland.

Siphoning cash before a bankruptcy is a common move in the financial world.  Private equity underwriters (PEU) are infamous for bleeding affiliates prior to an insolvency.  

PEUs also utilize interrelated corporate entities to maximize profits and ring fence liability.

Twenty seven people died in the hands of Camp Mystic.  Officially 119 people died in Kerr County from the July 4th floods. 

Kerr County is yet to conduct an evaluation of its disaster response on July 4, 2025.  They've had ample time but lack the will to do an emergency management basic.  So far, the state of Texas has given Kerr County officials an undeserved pass.   This too has a PEU ring and echoes the Bush White House Lessons Learned report on Hurricane Katrina which never mentioned the hospitals with the highest death toll in Katrina's aftermath.  One was PEU owned, the other other landed a Bush on its corporate board.  

Texas has more in common with Louisiana than I thought.  Political connections, so canaille (mischievous; sneaky, wily). 

Beacon's San Angelo, Alabama

Beacon Data Centers has more than one San Angelo in its sites for a future data center.  In July Beacon shared its intent to build in Mobile County, Alabama.

Oddly, their map mislabeled their new Mobile County location.

Someday Beacon's Canadian and Irish executives will learn the difference between West Texas and the Redneck Riviera.  Until then, it's Beacon AI, garbage in, garbage out.