Iola / Bedias Area Project (FM 1696)

 

Developer: Geronimo Power
Type: Proposed “Powered Data Park” concept

Location: FM 1696 @ 114

 

Geronimo Power, an energy development company specializing in renewable energy and storage projects, has reportedly contacted local officials regarding land leased in the Iola–Bedias area of Grimes County. Geronimo develops large-scale power generation projects including solar, wind, and energy storage infrastructure.

 

According to information shared publicly during the March 2026 Iola Town Council meeting:

 

Possible components discussed include:

 

• Large-scale data center facility
• Solar generation infrastructure covering thousands of acres
• Natural gas generation facility to support energy demand
• Additional surrounding land potentially being evaluated for development

 

Geronimo describes its concept as a “powered data park,” which typically combines energy generation with data center infrastructure to supply the large electricity demands required by modern computing facilities.

Projects of this type can require hundreds of megawatts of power, potentially comparable to the electricity usage of hundreds of thousands of homes depending on facility size.

 

Status:
Early development discussions reported. Public details remain limited at this time.

 

 

Gibbons Creek / Carlos Area Project

Millennium Power – Gibbons Creek Redevelopment

Developer: Millennium Power

Location: 12824 FM 244, Anderson, TX 77830

(North of Yankees @ Hwy 30 - South of Iola)

 

The Gibbons Creek site is a large former coal power plant property in Grimes County that historically generated electricity for multiple Texas cities.

 

The facility and surrounding property—covering thousands of acres including the reservoir—were acquired for remediation and redevelopment after the coal plant closed.

 

In December 2023, Millennium Power announced it had acquired part of the former Gibbons Creek power facility as part of plans to support future power generation and energy infrastructure in the region.

Recent demolition work has removed the remaining structures of the former coal power plant as part of redevelopment efforts at the site.

 

Projects at large former power plant sites often involve new energy infrastructure such as:

 

• Natural gas generation
• Energy storage facilities
• Grid support infrastructure
• Industrial energy users

 

Status:
Redevelopment activity underway at the former power plant property.

Possibly a future xAI (Elon Musk) project.

 

 

 

Battery Storage and Solar Projects

Multiple battery storage and solar generation proposals have been identified across the region as part of the broader expansion of energy infrastructure in Texas.

 

Battery energy storage systems (BESS) are typically paired with renewable energy generation and help stabilize electric grids by storing excess power and releasing it when demand increases.

 

Solar and storage projects are increasingly being developed in rural areas where land availability and proximity to transmission infrastructure make large-scale projects possible.

 

Status:
Several proposed or early-stage projects have been identified through land records and development inquiries.

 

Information will be added here as details are verified.

 

 

 

Why So Many Projects in Texas?

 

Texas has become one of the primary destinations for large energy and data infrastructure projects due to several factors:

 

• Large available land areas
• Proximity to major transmission lines
• Independent electric grid (ERCOT)
• Growing demand for data centers and artificial intelligence computing

 

Grid operator ERCOT has reported a surge in requests for extremely large electricity loads from new projects such as data centers and electrification initiatives.

 

Future Projects

This page will continue to expand as additional developments in Grimes County are identified.

Our research team is actively reviewing:

 

• County land filings
• Energy interconnection requests
• Regulatory agency filings
• Public meeting records
• Developer announcements

Help Us Track Projects

 

Residents with information about potential projects are encouraged to share it with our team.