Fermi Inc, operating as Fermi America, in partnership with the Texas Tech University System has announced that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has granted final approval of the nation’s second largest Clean Air Permit for 6 GW of clean natural gas-based power generation at its landmark 11 GW Project Matador campus.
TCEQ approval confirms compliance with state and federal emissions standards and is a significant regulatory milestone, granting the Clean Air Permit required to begin the vertical phase of power generation construction.
With the permit secured, after one of the longest lead-time approvals for large-scale energy infrastructure, Project Matador can now advance to the final stages of the project finance and tenant negotiations phase. As the project transitions into the next phase of execution, Fermi America is positioned to move its Siemens Energy SGT-800 gas turbine fleet, six assets currently waiting the port of Houston, Texas, to the Amarillo campus.
Fermi America chief communications officer and director of Strategic Initiatives, Cathy Landtroop commented: “With the issuance of [this] air permit … Fermi is uniquely positioned to help America’s hyperscalers quickly secure the private power they need at scale.”
The permit follows a rigorous environmental and public review process, including technical evaluation by TCEQ engineers, air quality modelling to confirm compliance with state and federal standards, and a public notice and comment period. Environmental experts anticipate that following additional analysis, Project Matador will ultimately support up to 11 GW of clean natural gas, which the company intends to pursue.
Project Matador’s gigawatt scale platform is being positioned to meet a historic surge in electricity demand driven by AI, advanced manufacturing, industrial electrification, reshoring of critical supply chains, EV adoption, defence modernisation, and the expansion of the digital economy, providing reliable power without burdening the public grid.
