Fort Bend County commissioners approved four tax incentive agreements Thursday for Tesla's proposed $10.1 billion solar cell and module factory near Needville. The plant, known as Project Crystal Sun, would operate on roughly 3,000 acres and employ 9,712 permanent jobs by 2033, with commercial operations targeted for Q1 2029.
Fort Bend County and Texas stand to reap nearly $6.5 billion in taxes in 38 years, according to Tesla's calculation. Lamar Consolidated ISD would tax Tesla's qualifying property at 50 percent of its value for maintenance and operations from 2029 through 2038.
Proposed solar factory investment$10.1 billion12Who pays or receives it: Tesla
Real property investment$1.5 billion1Who pays or receives it: Tesla
Equipment investment$8.6 billion1Who pays or receives it: Tesla
Projected tax revenue over 38 years$6.5 billion2Who pays or receives it: Tesla
Coming up
Thursday, December 31, 2026. Tesla to decide on solar factory site selection1
Who's involved
Fort Bend County Commissioners Courtvoted to approve incentive agreements
Teslaproposed $10.1 billion solar factory project
Daniel WongInterim County Judge, abstained from voting
The facts
Fort Bend County commissioners approved four tax incentive agreements for Tesla on Thursday.12Stated by 2 sources
All four Tesla agreements passed 4 to 0, with Interim County Judge Daniel Wong abstaining.12Stated by 2 sources
The solar factory would operate on roughly 3,000 acres near FM 762 and FM 1994, south of Brazos River.1
Tesla projects 9,712 permanent jobs by 2033 and commercial operations in Q1 2029.1
The project splits investment into $1.5 billion real property and $8.6 billion equipment.1
Lamar CISD trustees voted 7 to 0 on September 15 to advance a JETI agreement.1
Tesla remains undecided between Fort Bend and an unnamed out-of-state location.12Stated by 2 sources
Who said what
These are statements and claims made by the people involved. They are reported, not verified.
Tesla hopes to decide site selection before end of 20261
David Dennison, Tesla site selection adviser out-of-state rival has very compelling package1
How they headlined it
The same event, as each outlet put it. Marked words appear in only one outlet's headline.
Tesla’s secretive “Project Crystal Sun” gets a big green light in Texas
These outlets were found through Google News headlines. Google decides which outlets appear there, and they lean mostly one way, so this sheet can only be as balanced as the reporting it was built from. Leanings are AllSides Media Bias Ratings.
Gilead Sciences Inc agreed to a $45 million settlement on October 22, 2026, resolving allegations that it used illegal kickbacks to influence Medicaid prescriptions in Texas. The settlement ends a legal action initiated by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in October 2023.
$$45 million for medicaid kickback settlement
Gilead Sciences Inc, defendant in settlement; Ken Paxton, Texas Attorney General who initiated legal action
Tarrant County Commissioner Matt Krause and Fort Worth City Council member Elizabeth Beck disagreed over whether local or state governments should regulate data centers during a panel at the Fort Worth Report's 2026 Growth Summit. Krause favored state regulation with local input; Beck argued Fort Worth should act now using its home-rule authority.
Matt Krause, Tarrant County Commissioner; Elizabeth Beck, Fort Worth City Council member; Adrian Shelley, Public Citizen Texas director and 1 more
Texas Railroad Commissioner Wayne Christian endorsed U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright's position that data center developers, not ratepayers, should fund the power infrastructure their facilities require. Christian said existing infrastructure should be prioritized and urged lawmakers to let communities decide whether to host data centers.
$$50 million for department of Energy investment in Texas grid resilience
Wayne Christian, Texas Railroad Commissioner; Chris Wright, U.S. Energy Secretary; Texas Legislature, State lawmakers
Daniel Pullin resigned as Texas Christian University's chancellor, effective immediately on October 22, 2026. His predecessor Victor Boschini Jr. was appointed chancellor effective immediately.
$$10 million for gift to Roach Institute of Athlete Engineering
Daniel Pullin, Resigned TCU chancellor; Victor Boschini Jr., Appointed TCU chancellor; Kit Moncrief, Chair of TCU board of trustees
Tarrant County Judge Tim O'Hare and Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham announced approval of a $10 million grant from the Texas General Land Office to install emergency backup generator power systems at two county facilities.
$$10 million for disaster recovery grant for emergency backup generator power systems
Tim O'Hare, Tarrant County Judge; Dawn Buckingham, Texas Land Commissioner; Tarrant County Commissioners, Approved the funding during October meeting
Texas A&M University-San Antonio opened a new $55 million Public Health and Education Building on Wednesday. The 35,000-square-foot facility houses academic programs and will support medical education and training through partnership with Texas A&M's College of Medicine and University Health.
$$55 million for building construction and development
Texas A&M University-San Antonio, opened the building; Glenn Hegar, Texas A&M University System Chancellor; Salvador Hector Ochoa, TAMUSA President and 3 more
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced an Assurance of Voluntary Compliance with Lululemon USA Inc. regarding concerns about potentially harmful "forever chemicals" in activewear. The settlement requires the company to enforce chemical safety standards across its supply chain through independent lab testing and third-party certifications for three years.
Ken Paxton, Texas Attorney General; Lululemon USA Inc., Activewear company subject to settlement
Texas Comptroller Don Huffines announced an executive order barring businesses that require customers to show COVID-19 vaccination or post-transmission recovery documentation from receiving contracts or grants from the Comptroller's office. The order requires contractors and grantees to certify compliance with Texas Health and Safety Code Section 161.0085.
Don Huffines, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts