Fermi America announced Tuesday that it purchased nine gas turbines to create more than 600 megawatts of clean gas, part of a grand vision to help power America’s race for dominance in artificial intelligence.
In a bid to create a high-technology “HyperGrid” in Texas’ Panhandle city of Amarillo, Fermi ― an energy company co-founded by former Texas Governor Rick Perry ― has unveiled plans to generate large quantities of nuclear power and natural gas.
The company is partnering with the Texas Tech University System to develop next-generation electric grids. As envisioned, it aims to be the “world’s largest advanced energy and artificial intelligence campus,” Fermi said in a release.
Upon completion, the campus will span 5,769 acres near the Pantex Plant, and have the potential to deliver up to 11 gigawatts of power. It’s also slated to have 18 million square feet of AI capacity, Fermi said.
One gigawatt is expected to be online by the end of next year.
A first-of-its-kind HyperGrid campus is expected to integrate the large-scale nuclear, natural gas, solar and battery energy storage ― all in the service of boosting voracious power needs for next-generation artificial intelligence.
Perry, the former U.S. Secretary of Energy and Lone Star State Governor, described the project is an answer to President Donald Trump’s “call to deliver global energy and AI dominance.”
He added that “no one does energy better than Texas.”
For decades, atomic power ― which is one of the few carbon-free energy sources ― has been largely moribund in the U.S. given cost and safety concerns. However, the sector has recently enjoyed a surge of interest linked to AI, which has massive energy requirements.
“The Chinese are building 22 nuclear reactors today to power the future of AI,” Perry said in a statement. “America has none. We’re behind, and it’s all hands on deck.”
He said the pending nuclear power energy renaissance demands American innovators rise to the occasion.
Fermi co-founder, Toby Neugebauer, said the No. 1 challenge in the global AI race is the supply chain.
“In order to position America’s hyperscalers with the new energy they require for AI, our team prioritized purchasing equipment for over 600 megawatts of the one gigawatt of generation to be offered by the end of 2026,” Neugebauer said.
“Today’s announcement shows that Fermi America is doing what it takes to deliver at an unprecedented scale.”
Larry Kellerman, Fermi’s chief power procurement officer, said the equipment is available for shipment and refurbishment, avoiding multi-year lead times.
The acquisition involves sourcing new, “in crate,” Siemens Frame industrial gas turbines. To be purchased from Firebird LNG in conjunction with Siemens Energy, the full equipment package includes six gas turbines, six heat recovery steam generators, and one steam turbine.
It also has six gas turbine exhaust venting systems, which Fermi says allows for reliable, simple-cycle operation in the event of outages or maintenance.
The second acquisition includes a set of three secondary market General Electric industrial gas turbines, and a paired steam turbine. The equipment was formerly in operation at a heavy industrial operation in New Jersey and will be refurbished. New heat recovery steam generators will be installed as well.
“Behind-the-meter power isn’t just a Fermi advantage — it’s the only solution for America’s AI dominance,” Neugebauer said. “Without it, we’re handing China the keys to AI. There will only be one winner.”
This reporting is part of the Future of North Texas, a community-funded journalism initiative supported by the Commit Partnership, Communities Foundation of Texas, The Dallas Foundation, the Dallas Mavericks, the Dallas Regional Chamber, Deedie Rose, the McCune-Losinger Family Fund, The Meadows Foundation, the Perot Foundation, the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas and the University of Texas at Dallas. The News retains full editorial control of this coverage.
