Project update · Nov 8, 2026
Abilene after Stargate's expansion fell through: Microsoft steps in
OpenAI and Oracle walked away from more space in Abilene. Microsoft took it, and added a 900-megawatt power plant.
Abilene, Texas, was the first Stargate site to come online, and it's a good case study in how this market works: plans change, but the work tends to stay.
What happened
- March 8 - Oracle and OpenAI dropped plans to expand the campus from about 1.2 gigawatts to about 2 gigawatts, after talks broke down over financing and OpenAI's changing capacity forecasts, Tom's Hardware reported, citing Bloomberg.
- March 27 - Microsoft took over. The developer, Crusoe, is building two new buildings for Microsoft plus an on-site power plant that Crusoe's CEO said will generate 900 megawatts, the AP reported.
- The total - with Microsoft's buildings, the complex reaches 10 data center buildings and about 2.1 gigawatts.
Where the original campus stands
Crusoe had finished two buildings for OpenAI and Oracle and was completing six more, due by the end of 2026, according to the AP. When it topped out the eighth building in November 2025, Crusoe credited about 7,000 electricians and other tradespeople on site.
Why it matters to crews
As the original eight buildings finish, the Microsoft buildings and the power plant are the next wave. A 900-megawatt plant is major work for electricians, pipefitters and ironworkers on its own.
What it means for crews
- Entry point - The current posting pays $33 an hour with $125 a day per diem and needs only TDLR registration, not a journeyman card.
- Day-one test - Expect a hands-on conduit and cable tray test. The posting says workers who fail are sent home.
- Next wave - Ask contractors about the Microsoft buildings and the power plant if your current stint is ending.
- Stay - Abilene, Tye and Clyde.
Sources
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