New Era Helium Advances 250MW Net-Zero AI Data Center In Texas

(RTTNews) - New Era Helium, Inc. (NEHC), an exploration and production company sourcing helium from natural gas reserves in the Permian Basin, Wednesday has shared progress on its joint venture, Texas Critical Data Centers, LLC, with Sharon AI, Inc. Formed in 2024, TCDC is developing a 250MW net-zero AI and high-performance computing - HPC facility in Ector County, Texas.

The venture has begun due diligence on the planned site, with the initial 200-acre land acquisition expanded to 235 acres by the seller, Grow Odessa. The closing is expected within 90 days. Alongside this, TCDC is advancing other key development elements, including fiber access, gas supply agreements, pipeline connections, and the design of a power plant utilizing natural gas engines with CO2 capture.

The first 100MW of the facility is targeted to be operational by December 2026, with the remainder to follow within six months. Discussions with potential customers are underway, and TCDC expects to formalize a partnership with a gas engine provider soon.

To support transparency and outreach, a new project website has been launched at www.texascriticaldatacenters.com. Meanwhile, New Era Helium and its partners are assessing further land acquisitions near the current site to support future expansion and strengthen their competitive edge in the AI infrastructure space.

CEO E. Will Gray II emphasized that this initiative is a major step toward delivering scalable, energy-integrated platforms that power the future of AI, HPC, and semiconductor innovation. He noted that launching the website signals the project's transition into its execution phase.

Wednesday, NEHC closed at $0.898, up 0.90%, and is currently trading at $0.93 in after-hours, a gain of 3.56% on the Nasdaq Global Market.