A&M–Central Texas Hosts Central Texas Energy Summit
By Jonathan Petty
Above: Director of Economic Development for Oncor Electric Delivery Wilson Peppard speaks to the crowd at the Texas A&M University–Central Texas Energy Summit on Tuesday in the Bill Yowell Conference Center on campus. Peppard updated those in attendance on the trends in energy production and consumption.
Texas A&M University–Central Texas hosted local business, development, and government leaders on Tuesday, at the Central Texas Energy Summit. Attendees heard a presentation on energy needs, growth and trends delivered by Wilson Peppard, director of economic development for Oncor Electric Delivery. Oncor is one of the power companies that services the Central Texas region.
Peppard showcased the trends in energy consumption. In the past two years, requests have shifted from data storage and processes associated with AI facilities, which previously led the way, to a larger percentage now coming from advanced manufacturing facilities. Peppard said battery manufacturing to store energy is also an increasing trend across the state.
In 2024, AI data storage plants accounted for 51% of Oncor’s load requests. While the percentage dropped in 2025, the request for energy remains high for AI data plants. Peppard said rapid advances in AI caught the industry somewhat off-guard. Following up on a question from the audience, Peppard compared it to the evolution of electric vehicles, saying the industry saw electric vehicles on the horizon and prepared for the additional consumption of energy needed to power the vehicles. Still, the load request for EVs is far less than that of AI facilities. Yet while the industry prepared for electric vehicles, the AI boom happened quickly.
“How much power needed for AI came out of nowhere,” he said. “It caught the world kind of flat footed.”
While trends are shifting, Peppard said the industry remains strong and is responding to the need. Over the past 25 years, he said energy usage has remained steady despite the growing needs, showing increasing efficiency throughout the industry and in consumer practices.
He also talked about the importance of energy resources to economic development plans, saying that the availability of utilities and infrastructure are the top drivers in site selection for industries looking for a location. This is a change from years past when proximity to a qualified workforce was the top consideration. While industries are still looking for a strong workforce, they are placing an emphasis on other resources. Peppard said Texas is in a great position to attract industries moving forward as it is one of the leading states in energy production from renewable resources such as solar and wind.
Peppard also pointed out that Oncor has committed $3 billion to research, innovation, and development in a 3-year plan. The company is researching such things as wildfire mitigation, vegetation management, and enhancing the digital grid. He said Oncor is also investing in the construction of transmission lines running from West to East Texas. This will enable Central Texas and other regions to benefit from the abundance of energy resources in West Texas and supplement the broader Texas grid as needed.
Tuesday’s event was co-sponsored by the Belton Economic Development Commission (EDC), Copperas Cove EDC, Killeen EDC, Taylor EDC, Temple EDC, and Wilco Economic Development Partnership.
