· Related development
Carson County commissioners approve a phased tax abatement for Fermi, 5-0
After about an hour of public comment and an executive session, the Carson County Commissioners Court voted 5-0 to approve a tax abatement agreement with Fermi America. As reported, the agreement divides the project into 15 phases, each eligible for a 10-year abatement once operational, with payments in lieu of taxes of $2,500 to $2,750 per megawatt of generation and $3 per square foot of data-center space. Fermi's release and SEC filings describe a 10-year abatement and a reinvestment zone.[1][2][3][4]
Dan LootenFermi America (Fermi, Inc.)
What the sources say
- ✓ Verified
On Monday, October 27, 2025, Carson County commissioners voted 5-0, after about an hour of public comment and an executive session to review the final contract, to approve a tax abatement agreement with Fermi America.[1][2]
- Votes for
- 5
- Votes against
- 0
- ✓ Verified
As reported, the agreement divides the project into 15 phases, each eligible for a 10-year abatement once it begins operating; payments in lieu of taxes are based on output rather than appraised value: $2,500 to $2,750 per megawatt of generation and $3 per square foot of data-center construction. NewsChannel 10 reported the overall agreement could run up to 25 years. The agreement also includes annual coordination with local fire and EMS, about 40 permanent jobs per phase, and emergency planning with Pantex and regional responders.[1][2]
- Phases
- 15
- Abatement years per phase
- 10
- Pilot per mw low
- $2,500
- Pilot per mw high
- $2,750
- Pilot per sq ft
- $3
- Max term years
- 25
- Jobs per phase
- 40
- ⚠ Sources differ
Sources describe the length of the Carson County abatement differently.
- Abatement description
- 10-year tax abatement and reinvestment zone
Fermi's October 29, 2025 release and its 10-K ("a 10-year property tax abatement framework on a per-phase basis").
- ✓ Verified
The Globe-News reported that if the project reached its full proposed scale (about 13 million square feet and up to 13 gigawatts), Carson County could receive roughly $800 million over the life of the abatements. This is a projection at full build-out.[1]
- Projected county payments
- $800,000,000
- ✓ Verified
Dan Looten, Carson County Judge: Carson County Judge Dan Looten said the court had been in discussions with Fermi since May and followed required posting and hearing procedures, and said: "They don't get a free pass just because they're writing a check. We'll be watching them, and so will the state and federal regulators."[1]
- ✓ Verified
Public commenters; Trent Sisemore, Fermi America: Residents who spoke raised water use, environmental oversight, effects on groundwater and on Pantex, and whether the public had adequate notice before site preparation began; others spoke in support, citing jobs and the Texas Tech partnership. Fermi's community liaison said only dirt work and site grading had occurred and that vertical construction would follow filing of the agreement.[1]
- Unverified
Judge Looten said the full agreement would be posted on the Carson County website after signatures and filings. The agreement text itself was not located for this record; terms here come from news reports and Fermi's filings.[1]