474GW connection applications under review… Innohosa pledges to halt data center approvals

Gina Hinojosa won the Texas gubernatorial race against incumbent Greg Abbott after campaigning on a pledge to halt new data center approvals until the legislature enacts consumer protection rules, with more than 474GW of grid interconnection requests currently under review in the state. The victory does not by itself alter pending grid interconnection reviews or cancel existing applications; the moratorium commitment applies only to new data center approvals. Her platform also addresses electricity and water rate burdens, local community decision-making authority, and tax incentives, though the precise policy scope and implementation remain undefined by the pledge alone. The outcome matters because Texas is the largest U.S. data center market and a key load-growth driver for the ERCOT grid, so any slowdown in new approvals could affect demand forecasts and interconnection timelines. What to watch next is how Hinojosa translates the campaign pledge into legislative language, including the treatment of already-filed requests and the definition of new approvals.