ERCOT is working to determine which of the hundreds of data center interconnection requests queued in Texas are financially and technically viable, Houston Public Media reports. The grid operator is applying new screening criteria to separate serious projects from speculative ones, as total requested load has grown to multiples of current Texas peak demand. Officials have not disclosed how many projects may be rejected or delayed under the tightened review process. The outcome will influence whether Texas can realistically displace Virginia as the top U.S. data center market.