AMARILLO, Texas (KVII) — In an exclusive interview, former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, co-founder of Fermi America, discussed the Matador Project, which aims to build the world’s largest AI data center in Amarillo.
The project, set to include four nuclear reactors with a potential output of 11 gigawatts, has raised community concerns about water usage amid regional drought risks and agricultural reliance on aquifers.
Perry emphasized his understanding of water needs, drawing on his background as a former agriculture commissioner and governor.
“This project will use about as much water for its first gigawatt. As one pivot to water corn, one pivot,” he said.
Perry highlighted the project’s significance for national security, innovation, and economic growth, stating, “We are in a war. We’re in a race to get to the artificial intelligence that’s going to be driven by these data centers.”
He also noted the creation of approximately 5,000 jobs over the next decade, with training opportunities at local educational institutions.
The Amarillo City Council is set to decide Tuesday on whether to sell water to Fermi America.
Perry expressed confidence in the council’s understanding of the project’s economic and water usage balance, saying, “They understand the, the balance, if you will, on the very small amount of water in the grand scheme of things that this project is going to use.”
Perry’s full interview can be seen here: