AUSTIN, Texas - Texas Governor Greg Abbott has directed the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to halt all permits sought by data centers until the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) completes an audit.

The governors office says state agencies require the data from the audit to make informed decisions and that no state agency shall move forward with regulatory approvals related to data center development until it is acquired.

"Simply put, Texans must come first," said Governor Abbott.