Oracle Asks FERC to Speed Up New Mexico Pipeline for Project Jupiter

Oracle is asking the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to speed up approval for the 17.8-mile 'Green Chile' pipeline. This infrastructure is intended to power the Project Jupiter data center in New Mexico. The company faces operational delays while trying to secure the energy capacity required for its facility, causing it to miss its initial August 2026 launch target.

"Time remains of the essence," said Josh Pitcock, senior vice president of government affairs at Oracle, in a letter to FERC regarding the potential for further delays to impact the project's jobs and economic benefits.

Infrastructure Bottlenecks and Project Delays

The project's operational timeline is now February 2027. This delay follows required pipeline rerouting after local officials rejected the proposed path through state lands. The 'Green Chile' pipeline is designed to transport 400 million cubic feet of natural gas daily to fuel the data center's dedicated microgrid.

To address the current shortfall, Oracle has considered trucking natural gas to the site as a temporary measure for initial commissioning. The company has acknowledged that this logistics-heavy approach cannot meet the full-scale power requirements of the data center once it reaches operational capacity.

Economic Impact in Doña Ana County

The development is an economic factor for the region, projected to support 5,800 peak construction jobs. Once fully operational, the site is expected to generate up to $1.1 billion in annual economic output for Doña Ana County.

Financial Context

These regulatory challenges occur as Oracle Corp (ORCL) manages its capital expenditure strategy. As of October 19, 2026, shares of Oracle closed at $129.59. The push for expedited federal approval highlights the tension between the expansion of AI-driven data infrastructure and the complexities of regional energy permitting.