Oracle Urges Regulators to Fast-Track Gas Pipeline for New Mexico Data Center

Oracle Corp. is renewing its request for federal regulators to expedite approval of a natural gas pipeline needed to power its large Project Jupiter data center in New Mexico.

Oracle is urging federal regulators to expedite approval of the proposed Green Chile natural gas pipeline, which would supply fuel for power generation at its Project Jupiter data center in New Mexico. [Photo: Oracle Facebook]

“Time remains of the essence,” Josh Pitcock, Oracle’s senior vice president of government affairs, said in a letter to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), Bloomberg News reporter Julian Hast reported.

Pitcock warned that further delays in approving the proposed pipeline, which would be operated by a subsidiary of Energy Transfer LP, could postpone Project Jupiter’s operations and affect the jobs, economic activity and community benefits associated with the development.

The proposed Green Chile pipeline would extend approximately 17.8 miles and transport about 400 million cubic feet of natural gas per day.

The gas would supply fuel cells procured from Bloom Energy to generate electricity for Oracle’s data center campus.

FERC issued an environmental assessment of the pipeline project on September 4. The assessment drew objections from advocacy groups and other parties during the public comment period.

New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez has argued that regulators must assess the environmental effects of the pipeline alongside those of the data center it is intended to serve.

He has called on FERC to revise its environmental assessment or prepare a full environmental impact statement.

The pipeline has already been delayed until February 2027, beyond its earlier target date of August 15.

The delay followed opposition from state officials to the original route through state-owned land, prompting the developer to reroute the project across federal land.

Oracle’s request highlights the infrastructure challenges facing large data center developments as companies seek reliable electricity supplies for energy-intensive computing operations.

The company has also considered transporting natural gas by truck as a temporary measure, although that approach may not be sufficient to meet the facility’s full power requirements.

FERC’s decision on the pipeline will help determine whether the project can proceed on its revised schedule.

The commission must consider the outstanding regulatory and environmental issues before granting authorization.