Wyoming to Host Massive AI-Powered Data Center Fueled by Natural Gas

Southern Laramie County is about to become home to one of the largest artificial intelligence data center projects in the country — a development that ties Wyoming’s deep energy roots to the cutting edge of tech.

Denver-based Crusoe and energy infrastructure company Tallgrass have teamed up on the project, which will kick off with a 1.8-gigawatt facility just south of Cheyenne, near the Colorado border. The campus is designed to eventually scale up to 10 gigawatts, a size that would put it among the biggest AI-focused data centers in the United States.

Unlike many other projects, this one won’t rely on the existing power grid. Instead, it will generate its own electricity — largely from natural gas, with renewables expected down the road. That means no extra strain on local utilities and no surprise costs for ratepayers.

The project will also lean on carbon-capture technology and closed-loop cooling systems, which company officials say will cut emissions and slash water usage. In fact, according to Laramie County, the center will use less water per year than a single agricultural pivot.

“This will be one of the most advanced facilities of its kind in the nation,” said US Sen. John Barrasso, calling it proof that Wyoming can stay at the front of both energy and technology innovation.

Sen. Cynthia Lummis agreed, adding the project will deliver high-paying jobs and help strengthen America’s leadership in AI.

Laramie County Commission Chair Gunnar Malm emphasized making sure locals share in the benefits:

“We must make sure that our skilled workforce continues to survive and thrive in a competitive-wage market,” Malm said.

The facility is part of a bigger play by Tallgrass to move Permian Basin natural gas north to the Rockies Express Pipeline (REX) and fuel growing demand for data centers along the Colorado-Wyoming Front Range. That new Transporter pipeline, expected online in 2028, would tie into the Cheyenne hub and supply up to 2.4 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas.

Crusoe, meanwhile, is already building another mega data center in Abilene, Texas, and says Wyoming is a natural fit for expansion. CEO Chase Lochmiller framed the Cheyenne project as part of a broader push to invest in the American workforce, bringing jobs in construction, energy, manufacturing, and high tech.

If the Laramie County campus reaches its 10-gigawatt goal, it won’t just put Wyoming on the map for AI — it will make the state a cornerstone in America’s next big energy-tech crossover.

With input from Cap City News and East Daley Analytics.