A lot has been said about the data centers being built in El Paso: their economic impact, tax incentives, and environmental footprint. I’m not an expert on all those topics, but as the business manager of IBEW Local 960, representing El Paso Electric’s bargaining unit employees, I do know the value of good-paying jobs. More importantly, I’m seeing what’s really happening on the ground.
I’m not behind a computer making predictions. I’ve been working at the McCloud Substation, one of the key projects supporting these data centers. I’m boots on the ground.
Let’s talk about those “50 jobs.” Construction alone will create 4,000 jobs, with roughly 600 indirect jobs on site and an estimated 1,000 to 1,300 more in the community. The construction phase is just as vital as the permanent jobs. A five- or six-year construction period is long enough for workers to complete entire apprenticeships. That’s longer than it takes to earn a bachelor’s degree — and believe me, it’s just as valuable. These skills stay with you for life. There’s nothing temporary about that.
And once the data centers are built, the work doesn’t stop. These facilities will require ongoing upgrades, expansions, cooling-system overhauls, and constant technological updates. Think about it — how often do you update your phone’s software, only to replace the hardware a few years later? Technology is constantly evolving, and data centers are no different. They will require continuous investment, ensuring steady demand for labor well beyond construction.
It won’t just be a set number of permanent local jobs filled by local workers. By the way, Meta alone will directly employ closer to 300 permanent workers, not 50. There will also be periods of increased demand where that number can double or even triple at any given time.
When I hear “50 jobs,” I find it hard to believe. There are already over 1,800 workers on site at current data center projects, and this phase will last at least five years, likely more. The impact on the union workforce has been tremendous. Some locals have doubled in size. Many work groups within IBEW 960 continue to grow. My own group has nearly doubled in preparation for the work ahead.
And that’s just the beginning. This economic activity is also supporting and boosting many other industries.
I know folks have real questions about water use and the power grid. Those deserve real answers, not a shutdown. When I hear the word “moratorium,” it’s concerning. This isn’t just a pause — it risks becoming a setback not only for jobs, but for long-term opportunities in El Paso. Opportunities like this don’t come around often, and when they do, we shouldn’t shut them down. We should manage them responsibly. If there are concerns, let’s address them strategically.
This hits home for me. In 1998, as a 21-year-old out of DeVry, I was given a life-changing opportunity with a utility company in Phoenix during a tech boom. Learning a trade and joining a union became my pathway to the middle class. I can only imagine if that opportunity had been shut down — where would I be today?
Back then, many feared that boom wouldn’t benefit the city. Fast forward 30 years — it didn’t just help, it transformed Phoenix.
Let’s not miss El Paso’s opportunity to grow. I want my kids to move back to El Paso after college. Don’t you?
Eddie Trevizo is business manager of IBEW Local 960, representing El Paso Electric’s bargaining unit employees.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: OPINION: El Paso data centers will create thousands of jobs
Reporting by Eddie Trevizo, Guest columnist / El Paso Times
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
