Doña Ana County advances Project Jupiter data center plan despite water concerns
Doña Ana County commissioners advanced Project Jupiter, a multibillion-dollar data center plan in Santa Teresa, over community concerns about water and tax equity. A final vote is set for Sept. 19.
Commissioners voted 4–1 to move forward on $165 billion in tax incentives for a Santa Teresa facility, setting a September public hearing
Damien Willis, Organ Mountain News
LAS CRUCES - Doña Ana County commissioners voted Tuesday to advance a massive incentive package for Project Jupiter, a proposed multibillion-dollar data center complex in Santa Teresa, despite warnings from residents worried about water supplies and tax equity.
The commission voted 4-1 to move forward with ordinances authorizing $165 billion in industrial revenue bonds and qualifying the project for state LEDA funds. Both measures will be the subject of public hearings on Sept. 19 before a final vote.
Project Jupiter, backed by Austin-based BorderPlex Digital Assets, would include four data center buildings supporting artificial intelligence technology and a microgrid facility. The company has estimated $5 billion in construction over a decade and pledged $300 million in payments in lieu of taxes to Doña Ana County. Developers also project 2,500 construction jobs and 750 permanent positions with salaries ranging from $75,000 to $100,000.
BorderPlex Digital is led by chairman Lanham Napier, with former New Mexico Economic Development Secretary Alicia Keyes serving as government affairs officer. Keyes reportedly attended Tuesday’s meeting but did not speak.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s administration signed a memorandum of understanding with the company earlier this year allowing the microgrid to operate without being regulated as a public utility so long as it powers only the facility. The MOU also permits electricity from natural gas or nuclear generation to qualify as “zero carbon” under state law if emissions remain below certain thresholds.
Commissioner Susana Chaparro cast the lone “no” vote, citing the lack of public engagement.
“This community deserves answers to the questions they may have,” Chaparro said.
Commissioner Manuel Sanchez, participating by phone, acknowledged the region’s water challenges but said the state could provide resources to help build infrastructure that benefits nearby communities.
Residents and community organizers at the meeting pressed for more information about the project’s potential impacts. Some pointed to the risk of lost revenue for schools, roads and water systems if the county grants decades of tax breaks. Others raised broader concerns about the power and water consumption required for data centers.
BorderPlex officials said the facility would rely on a closed-loop cooling system, requiring only an initial fill and minimal ongoing water use, possibly from brackish sources.
Public testimony will continue when commissioners take up the ordinances in September.
Damien Willis is founder and editor of Organ Mountain News. If you have a personal story to share or a lead we should follow up on, reach out at OrganMountainNews@gmail.com or connect with him on X at @damienwillis.
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