Google commits $17B to first Wyoming data center powered by 702 MW of fuel cells
Carbon Herald reported that Google plans a $17 billion campus in Laramie County, near Cheyenne, Wyoming, its first data center in the state. The main power source is a 702 MW natural gas fuel cell system contracted through American Electric Power, which owns and operates the units. Bloom Energy manufactures the solid oxide cells in the United States.
Because the cells run on natural gas, they produce a concentrated carbon dioxide stream that suits capture. That stream is to be captured and stored underground at Tallgrass Energy's Eastern Wyoming Sequestration Hub. Google describes the system as capturing a large majority of emissions, not all of them, and has not disclosed a capture rate. Gas-fired generation from Tallgrass and Black Hills Energy will supplement the campus. Black Hills plans to invest $1.8 billion from 2027 to 2029 to build 564 MW of new gas generation.
Google's own announcement says the campus will be air cooled to protect local water resources. Google has not disclosed the computing capacity of the campus, though reported supply including reserves reaches 2.7 GW. The company says it will pay for all the power the campus uses and fund any grid upgrades its expansion requires. Google, Tallgrass, Black Hills, AEP, Bloom and Related Digital are also forming a Community Council to address how data center growth affects Cheyenne.
Why it matters
For teams building AI products, the deal shows that capacity planning now reaches into fuel supply, power contracts, emissions accounting and water rules. A site can depend on a single generator contract, a storage hub run by a third party, and a capture rate the developer has not published. Local politics also count. According to The Next Web, voters rejected data center projects in 40 of 41 local ballot measures just two days before this announcement.
For investors, cost is the open question. One analysis notes that fuel cells with carbon capture cost more per megawatt than conventional gas turbines or grid power. Google says it is covering the power bill and grid upgrades, which shields existing ratepayers from those costs. Bloom Energy's shares fell roughly 14 to 16 percent on the day, though reports differ on the size of the drop and no source ties it to Google alone. Operators should expect similar terms, including ratepayer protections and community councils, at new sites.
Key points
- 1Google plans a $17 billion data center campus in Laramie County near Cheyenne, its first in Wyoming.
- 2The campus is mainly powered by a 702 MW gas-fed solid oxide fuel cell system from Bloom Energy and AEP.
- 3Google will pay for all the power the campus uses and fund grid upgrades its expansion requires.
- 4Captured CO2 goes underground at Tallgrass Energy's Eastern Wyoming Sequestration Hub.
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