Google to Build First Wyoming Data Center With $17 Billion Investment, 702 MW Fuel Cell Project

Google has announced plans to build its first data center in Wyoming, committing $17 billion to the project in what represents a major expansion of the company's infrastructure footprint in the Cowboy State. The facility, located in Laramie County, is being developed in partnership with Tallgrass Energy, Black Hills Energy, American Electric Power and Related Digital, and is designed to deliver long-term economic benefits to the region while advancing cleaner energy solutions for data center operations.

The project's most significant technical feature is a first-of-its-kind, commercial-scale 702 MW fuel cell development equipped with carbon capture and storage technology — the largest planned development of its kind to date. The fuel cells, which will be manufactured in the United States by Bloom Energy, convert natural gas into electricity through an electrochemical reaction, helping to minimize emissions and water use in powering the data infrastructure. The CCS component will enable the capture and permanent geologic storage of a large majority of carbon emissions at Tallgrass's nearby Eastern Wyoming Sequestration Hub, bringing Google's total contracted CCS capacity to nearly 1 gigawatt. The company is also sourcing power from gas generators operated by Tallgrass Energy and Black Hills Energy, and is conducting a front-end engineering and design study to evaluate fitting Tallgrass's combined cycle turbines with CCS technology.

In line with Google's water stewardship commitments, the Wyoming data center will be air-cooled to reduce strain on local water resources. The company has pledged to pay for 100% of the power it consumes and to cover infrastructure needs directly driven by its growth. Google expects the project to generate hundreds of millions of dollars in local property taxes for Laramie County and School District 1, in addition to community investment plans focused on K-12 education, workforce development and pathways to accelerate Wyoming's economy.

Google and its partners have held numerous meetings with local and state stakeholders, including a recent community meeting in downtown Cheyenne that drew more than 200 residents. In response to community feedback, the partner companies are establishing a Community Council designed to develop common-sense solutions to support Cheyenne through this phase of growth. Google is also partnering with local institutions to champion STEM education, support entrepreneurs and expand skilled trades training across the state. The company said the project builds on its 20-year track record of data center development and reflects its commitment to responsible growth in partnership with local communities.