Google says a Wyoming data center plan could reach $17 billion

Google says it will build its first data center in southeast Wyoming. A report published November 8 says the company confirmed the plan and described a longer investment that could reach $17 billion in computing centers. The report says Google has not given a date for the first building or for finishing that larger plan.

The first step is a 702-megawatt facility. Google says that plant would turn natural gas into electricity with fuel cells, and that it plans to store the generation emissions underground. The site is near Terry Ranch Road in Laramie County. Google says the data center will be air-cooled to limit water use.

Google named four partners. They are Tallgrass Energy, Black Hills Energy, American Electric Power and Related Digital. The company said, "We're committed to partnering with communities to build data centers the right way." It also said, "We will pay for 100% of the power we use, and when we build data centers, we'll cover the infrastructure needs directly driven by our growth."

The mayor says work has already started on the land. Cheyenne Mayor Patrick Collins said, "This is not speculative. This is happening." He said he has talked with Google for at least a year, and that Tallgrass is preparing a one-square-mile area for the first phase. He said Google will break ground soon. That timing is the mayor's, not a date in Google's statement.