Amarillo residents press council for transparency on Fermi America AI project and water deal

Dozens of Amarillo residents used the City Council public-comment period on Sept. 23 to press elected officials for greater transparency about discussions with Fermi America over water and energy for a proposed AI data center and adjacent nuclear-generating facility.

Speakers said they learned details about the deal through news reports and outreach by neighbors rather than city briefings, and asked for public timelines, contracts and explanations of likely impacts on water supplies, power prices and agricultural uses.

“Before the council starts giving them our water and raising our electricity cost, this really should be an issue that the voters have a say in,” said Jerry Ross, identifying himself as an Amarillo parent and Randall County resident, during public comment. “This company needs Amarillo. Amarillo does not need this company.”

Several speakers urged the city to disclose what well fields or Carson County wells are under discussion, the planned amount of water the project may require, and whether any agreements would limit local control over aquifer withdrawals. “Which of the Carson County wells are y’all talking about? How many of them are y’all leasing and how much is that going to take away from our ability to pump ground water when we’re short?” asked Josiah West, a city resident.

Other commenters raised technical and regulatory questions. Mike Ford, who said he has decades of experience with nuclear projects, warned that certain cooling designs have not been approved by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and that final water use will depend on how the plant is engineered. “The NRC has not approved these things,” Ford said. He described a large range in potential water use depending on condenser design and urged the city to require qualified nuclear operators and to plan for regulatory impacts.

Lisa Romanelli addressed the council from an economic standpoint, noting Fermi’s plans to seek an initial public offering. She urged the city to seek an explicit return to the community — for example, a civic endowment funded by the company — and to require investments in local education and workforce development rather than rely solely on promises of future jobs.

Several commenters repeated assertions circulating in the public record: that Fermi’s plan could involve multiple nuclear reactors, that the company has discussed limited local use of generated electricity, and that a final cooling design could significantly change projected water withdrawals. Those claims were presented by speakers as concerns or as descriptions of the company’s public materials; the council did not present independent confirmations during the meeting.

Mayor Stanley acknowledged the comments and said the council had taken no action that obligates the city and that contract negotiations are ongoing. “We’ve taken no action. We’ve done nothing to obligate the city in any way, and we want to learn more,” the mayor said, adding that some contract negotiations will take place in executive-session settings because they contain confidential business terms.

City Manager (name not specified in transcript) and staff indicated some negotiations and technical reviews are under way and that certain contract terms remain confidential until formal agreements are ready for public action. Several speakers pressed the council for a clearer public timeline and for city-commissioned analyses of water, energy and economic impacts.

Why it matters: Fermi America’s proposed project, as described in public comments, would involve large water and energy needs in an area that has experienced recent drought and wildfires. Residents said the proposal could affect long-term water availability for households, farms and dairies in Potter and Randall counties, raising stakes for local landowners and the regional agricultural economy.

What the council said it will do: Mayor Stanley told speakers the city will proceed “one step at a time” and promised to provide information when it can, but reaffirmed that some negotiation material will remain confidential while businesses and the city finalize contract language.

What’s not yet clear: No formal water sale or transfer contract was presented to the council during the meeting, and no final technical reports from Fermi America or independent city-commissioned impact studies were presented. Speakers referenced NRC approval processes and public filings but the council did not confirm specific pipeline, well-field, or contract terms during the meeting.

The issue is likely to return to council agendas, and residents asked for a public forum where the city would outline what is being considered and what authority the council has over water supply and energy agreements.