The Daily Dig

Google is building their first data center in Wyoming, a $17 billion investment in Laramie County announced on November 5, 2026. Tallgrass Energy, Black Hills Energy, American Electric Power (AEP), and Related Digital are partnering with Google on the project.

Fuel for Thought

The power plan steals the show. AEP is contracted to deliver a 702 MW fuel cell development with carbon capture and storage (CCS), which Google calls the largest planned development of its kind to date.

Bloom Energy will make the fuel cells in America. They convert natural gas into electricity through an electrochemical reaction, which Google says will help minimize emissions and water use.

The CCS system will capture a large majority of the carbon emissions for permanent geologic storage at Tallgrass’s nearby Eastern Wyoming Sequestration Hub.

With this project, Google’s total contracted CCS capacity reaches nearly 1 gigawatt.

Google is sourcing additional power from gas generators run by Tallgrass Energy and Black Hills Energy. Google is also conducting a front-end engineering and design (FEED) study to evaluate fitting CCS to Tallgrass’s combined cycle turbines.

Hold the Water

The data center will use air cooling to minimize strain on local water resources.

Google says they’ll pay for 100% of the power they use and will cover the infrastructure needs directly driven by their growth.

Council in Session

Google expects the project to generate hundreds of millions of dollars in local property taxes for Laramie County and School District 1.

Google, Tallgrass, Black Hills, Related Digital, AEP, and Bloom Energy are forming a Community Council. Its goal is to develop practical solutions that support Cheyenne through this phase of data center growth.

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Snapshot:

  • Project: Google’s first Wyoming data center

  • Company: Google

  • Partners: Tallgrass Energy, Black Hills Energy, American Electric Power (AEP), Related Digital

  • Location: Laramie County, Wyoming

  • Sector: Data center

  • Investment: $17 billion (described as long term; construction contract value not disclosed)

  • Announced: November 5, 2026

  • Fuel Cell Power: 702 MW fuel cell development with CCS, contracted with AEP

  • Fuel Cell Manufacturer: Bloom Energy (made in America)

  • Fuel Source: Natural gas

  • Carbon Capture: A large majority of emissions captured for permanent geologic storage

  • Storage Site: Tallgrass’s Eastern Wyoming Sequestration Hub

  • Gas Generation: Generators operated by Tallgrass Energy and Black Hills Energy

  • Engineering Study: FEED study to evaluate fitting CCS to Tallgrass’s combined cycle turbines

  • Google Contracted CCS Capacity: Nearly 1 gigawatt total

  • Cooling: Air cooling

  • Power Costs: Google to pay for 100% of the power they use

  • Tax Impact: Hundreds of millions of dollars expected for Laramie County and School District 1

  • Community Engagement: More than 200 Laramie County residents met at a community meeting in downtown Cheyenne; Community Day held at the Cheyenne Children’s Museum

  • Community Investment Plans: K-12 education, workforce development, pathways to accelerate Wyoming’s economy

  • Targeted Grants: STEM education, local entrepreneurs, skilled trades training

  • Community Council: Google, Tallgrass, Black Hills, Related Digital, AEP, Bloom Energy

TheJobWalk Thoughts

The announcement names no GC, site, or construction schedule, so the public bid picture is still blank. That doesn’t mean early contractor talks aren’t already happening. Google and the five companies working alongside them each play a different role, and each one is a door worth knocking on.

A 702 MW natural gas fuel cell development with carbon capture points to gas piping, heavy electrical, and industrial trade work, even before any packages are announced. The turbine retrofit is still only a FEED study, so count it as possible work, not booked work.

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