Chris Wright is the CEO of Liberty Energy and has been a prominent advocate for increased natural gas and oil production to support energy-intensive industries including data centers in Texas.
Referenced in 5 briefingsLast referenced: July 4, 2026
On June 30, Energy Secretary Chris Wright invoked Section 202(c) to let PJM push large loads onto backup generation during a heat event forecast to peak near 166,304 MW, above the 2006 record.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright called datacenter water fears "overblown," citing the industry's 0.2% share of US daily use, but large facilities can draw up to 5 million gallons daily, and the argument lands differently in water-stressed geography.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright tasked the National Petroleum Council last June to assess pipeline strain in key regions; the NPC's December report flagged reliability risks from misaligned planning cycles between gas producers and electric utilities.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright deployed multiple Section 202(c) emergency orders during Winter Storm Fern, explicitly authorizing ERCOT, PJM, and Duke Energy to tap behind-the-meter backup generation at data centers and large-load customers before or during Energy Emergency Alert Level 3 conditions.