Massive AI Data Center in Wyoming to Consume More Electricity Than All State Residents Combined

AI in Wyoming may soon use more electricity than state's human residents

On Monday, Mayor Patrick Collins of Cheyenne, Wyoming, announced plans for an AI data center that would consume more electricity than all homes in the state combined, according to the Associated Press. The facility, a joint venture between energy infrastructure company Tallgrass and AI data center developer Crusoe, would start at 1.8 gigawatts and scale up to 10 gigawatts of power use. The project's energy demands are difficult to overstate for Wyoming, the least populous US state. The initial 1.8-gigawatt phase, consuming 15.8 terawatt-hours (TWh) annually, is more than five times the electricity used by every household in the state combined. That figure represents 91 percent of the 17.3 TWh currently consumed by all of Wyoming's residential, commercial, and industrial sectors combined. At its full 10-gigawatt capacity, the proposed data center would consume 87.6 TWh of electricity annually -- double the 43.2 TWh the entire state currently generates. Because drawing this much power from the public grid is untenable, the project will rely on its own dedicated gas generation and renewable energy sources, according to Collins and company officials. However, this massive local demand for electricity -- even if self-generated -- represents a fundamental shift for a state that currently sends nearly 60 percent of its generated power to other states. Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon praised the project's potential benefits for the state's natural gas industry in a company statement. "This is exciting news for Wyoming and for Wyoming natural gas producers," Gordon said. The proposed site for the new datacenter sits several miles south of Cheyenne near the Colorado border off US Route 85. While state and local regulators still need to approve the project, Collins expressed optimism about a quick start. "I believe their plans are to go sooner rather than later," he said.

Power usage in Wyoming AI data center could eclipse consumption of the state's human residents by 5x -- tenant of colossal investment remains a mystery

Wyoming is the least populous U.S. state, with around 590,000 people, and currently exports two-thirds of its generated energy. Plans are afoot to create a massive new data center in Cheyenne, Wyoming, that would consume more power than every home in the state combined, a staggering milestone in the ongoing race to meet the excruciating power requirements of AI. The project is expected to kick off with a 1.8 gigawatt facility that would be scalable to 10 gigawatts in the future, as reported by AP. As the report about this colossal investment in AI computing notes, generally, a single gigawatt is enough to power as many as a million homes, but the population of Wyoming, the least populous state in the U.S., is a mere 590,000 residents. According to calculations by Ars Technica, the plant would consume 15.8TWh annually, five times that of the state's residents. The full 10GW expansion would consume more than double the state's entire electricity generation each year. Wyoming is already one of the U.S.'s top energy exporters, ranking only behind the likes of Texas, New Mexico, and Pennsylvania for its mainly oil, coal, and gas-fired energy output. EIA figures indicate the state exports almost three-fifths of the electricity it produces. Which tech giant is behind the new Cheyenne data center plans isn't made clear by AP, or the local politicians quoted welcoming the project. We know that the energy infrastructure is being created by a company called Tallgrass, and the AI data center will be in the hands of a developer called Crusoe. Several tech giants already have a foothold in Wyoming - obviously a great location for power-hungry computing infrastructure, and benefiting from a cool climate. The AP says Microsoft has had data centers in the state since 2012. However, Meta has also nearly completed an $800 million data center in Cheyenne, gaining a technological anchor in the region. The AP source report also seems to hint that ChatGPT developer OpenAI might be the new data center 'tenant.' A Crusoe spokesperson refused to confirm or deny that the Cheyenne location will be part of OpenAI's ambitious 'Stargate' data center plans, which the ChatGPT maker is known to be actively scouting for. Crusoe already has an established relationship with OpenAI from working on "the largest data center ... in the world" in Abilene, Texas, according to OpenAI's chief global affairs officer Chris Lehane. The upcoming huge AI data center is so big that it will need its own dedicated energy production using a mix of gas and renewables. Despite this, and the positive spin from local politicians, some experts still think regular households could see their bills increase due to the AI industry's unquenchable thirst for energy.

Cheyenne to host massive AI data center using more electricity than all Wyoming homes combined

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) -- An artificial intelligence data center that would use more electricity than every home in Wyoming combined before expanding to as much as five times that size will be built soon near Cheyenne, according to the city's mayor. "It's a game changer. It's huge," Mayor Patrick Collins said Monday. With cool weather -- good for keeping computer temperatures down -- and an abundance of inexpensive electricity from a top energy-producing state, Wyoming's capital has become a hub of computing power. The city has been home to Microsoft data centers since 2012. An $800 million data center announced last year by Facebook parent company Meta Platforms is nearing completion, Collins said. The latest data center, a joint effort between regional energy infrastructure company Tallgrass and AI data center developer Crusoe, would begin at 1.8 gigawatts of electricity and be scalable to 10 gigawatts, according to a joint company statement. A gigawatt can power as many as 1 million homes. But that's more homes than Wyoming has people. The least populated state, Wyoming, has about 590,000 people. And it's a major exporter of energy. A top producer of coal, oil and gas, Wyoming ranks behind only Texas, New Mexico and Pennsylvania as a top net energy-producing state, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Accounting for fossil fuels, Wyoming produces about 12 times more energy than it consumes. The state exports almost three-fifths of the electricity it produces, according to the EIA. But this proposed data center is so big, it would have its own dedicated energy from gas generation and renewable sources, according to Collins and company officials. Gov. Mark Gordon praised the project's value to the state's gas industry. "This is exciting news for Wyoming and for Wyoming natural gas producers," Gordon said in the statement. While data centers are energy-hungry, experts say companies can help reduce their effect on the climate by powering them with renewable energy rather than fossil fuels. Even so, electricity customers might see their bills increase as utilities plan for massive data projects on the grid. The data center would be built several miles (kilometers) south of Cheyenne off U.S. 85 near the Colorado state line. State and local regulators would need to sign off on the project, but Collins was optimistic construction could begin soon. "I believe their plans are to go sooner rather than later," Collins said. OpenAI, the developer of Chat GPT, has been scouring the U.S. for sites for a massive AI data center effort called Stargate, but a Crusoe spokesperson declined to say if the Cheyenne project was one. "We are not at a stage that we are ready to announce our tenant there," said the spokesperson, Andrew Schmitt. "I can't confirm or deny that is going to be one of the stargate." Recently, OpenAI announced it had switched on the first phase of a Crusoe-built data center complex in Abilene, Texas, in a partnership with software giant Oracle. "To the best of our knowledge, it is the largest data center -- we think of it as a campus -- in the world," OpenAI's chief global affairs officer Chris Lehane told The Associated Press last week. "It generates, roughly and depending how you count, about a gigawatt of energy." OpenAI has also been looking elsewhere in the U.S. to expand its data centers. It said last week that it has entered into an agreement with Oracle to develop another 4.5 gigawatts of data center capacity. "We're now in a position where we have, in a really concrete way, identified over five gigawatts of energy that we're going to be able to build around," Lehane said. OpenAI hasn't named any locations, besides its flagship site in Texas, where it plans to build data centers. As of earlier this year, Wyoming was not one of the 16 states where OpenAI said it was looking for locations to build new data centers. ___ O'Brien reported from Austin, Texas.

Wyoming may become the first state to supply more electricity to AI than to residents

Wow: Wyoming could soon host one of the largest AI data centers ever built - one consuming more electricity than every home in the state combined. The scale is staggering and raises urgent questions about how the AI boom will reshape America's energy future. On Monday, Cheyenne Mayor Patrick Collins announced a joint venture between energy infrastructure company Tallgrass and Crusoe, an AI data center developer. The Associated Press notes the facility's first phase would draw 1.8 gigawatts, consuming 15.8 terawatt-hours annually - five times what Wyoming households currently use and 90 percent of the state's entire annual consumption. At full scale, the data center would hit 10 gigawatts and 87.6 TWh a year, outstripping the state's total power output. Pulling that load from the public grid would cripple Wyoming's energy system, even with the mix of dedicated natural gas generation and renewables that Crusoe and Tallgrass plan. The sheer scale represents a dramatic shift for a state that exports nearly 60 percent of its electricity. Governor Mark Gordon framed the announcement as a win for the state's natural gas industry. "This is exciting news for Wyoming and for Wyoming natural gas producers," he said. The project's proposed site lies just south of Cheyenne near the Colorado border. Collins said he expects construction to start quickly, pending state and local approvals. If approved, the development would instantly become one of the largest industrial projects in Wyoming's history. Meta's Cheyenne AI campus (above render) will likely pale in comparison to Crusoe's project. Cheyenne has quietly become a magnet for data centers since 2012, luring Microsoft and Meta with its cool climate and cheap energy. However, this project is on an entirely different scale - prompting doubts about who could possibly need that much computing power and what the strain might mean for Wyoming's grid. There are plans for a state-of-the-art nuclear plant, but that is a long way off - assuming it is even approved. Crusoe has not named a tenant, and speculation has swirled around whether OpenAI could be involved. The company recently launched a massive Crusoe-built data center campus in Abilene, Texas, in partnership with Oracle. OpenAI says that the site alone accounts for about a gigawatt of capacity - the largest of its kind in the world - and has committed to securing an additional 4.5 gigawatts. Crusoe spokesperson Andrew Schmitt declined to say whether the Wyoming facility might be part of OpenAI's "Stargate" AI infrastructure program when pressed by the Associated Press. "We are not at a stage that we are ready to announce our tenant there," he said. "I can't confirm or deny that it's going to be one of the Stargate." What's clear is that this project represents more than just another hyperscale build - it signals a collision between the boundless appetite of AI computing and the hard limits of the nation's energy grid. Wyoming, the least populous US state with just 587,618 residents, may gain jobs and natural gas demand. However, it also becomes a test case for whether the industry can responsibly power AI's growth - or whether its needs will overwhelm even energy-rich states.

Cheyenne to host massive AI data center using more electricity than all Wyoming homes combined

An artificial intelligence data center that would use more electricity than every home in Wyoming combined before expanding to as much as five times that size will be built soon near Cheyenne, according to the city's mayor. "It's a game changer. It's huge," Mayor Patrick Collins said Monday. With cool weather -- good for keeping computer temperatures down -- and an abundance of inexpensive electricity from a top energy-producing state, Wyoming's capital has become a hub of computing power. The city has been home to Microsoft data centers since 2012. An $800 million data center announced last year by Facebook parent company Meta Platforms is nearing completion, Collins said. The latest data center, a joint effort between regional energy infrastructure company Tallgrass and AI data center developer Crusoe, would begin at 1.8 gigawatts of electricity and be scalable to 10 gigawatts, according to a joint company statement. A gigawatt can power as many as 1 million homes. But that's more homes than Wyoming has people. The least populated state, Wyoming, has about 590,000 people. And it's a major exporter of energy. A top producer of coal, oil and gas, Wyoming ranks behind only Texas, New Mexico and Pennsylvania as a top net energy-producing state, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Accounting for fossil fuels, Wyoming produces about 12 times more energy than it consumes. The state exports almost three-fifths of the electricity it produces, according to the EIA. But this proposed data center is so big, it would have its own dedicated energy from gas generation and renewable sources, according to Collins and company officials. Gov. Mark Gordon praised the project's value to the state's gas industry. "This is exciting news for Wyoming and for Wyoming natural gas producers," Gordon said in the statement. While data centers are energy-hungry, experts say companies can help reduce their effect on the climate by powering them with renewable energy rather than fossil fuels. Even so, electricity customers might see their bills increase as utilities plan for massive data projects on the grid. The data center would be built several miles (kilometers) south of Cheyenne off U.S. 85 near the Colorado state line. State and local regulators would need to sign off on the project, but Collins was optimistic construction could begin soon. "I believe their plans are to go sooner rather than later," Collins said. OpenAI, the developer of Chat GPT, has been scouring the U.S. for sites for a massive AI data center effort called Stargate, but a Crusoe spokesperson declined to say if the Cheyenne project was one. "We are not at a stage that we are ready to announce our tenant there," said the spokesperson, Andrew Schmitt. "I can't confirm or deny that is going to be one of the stargate." Recently, OpenAI announced it had switched on the first phase of a Crusoe-built data center complex in Abilene, Texas, in a partnership with software giant Oracle. "To the best of our knowledge, it is the largest data center -- we think of it as a campus -- in the world," OpenAI's chief global affairs officer Chris Lehane told The Associated Press last week. "It generates, roughly and depending how you count, about a gigawatt of energy." OpenAI has also been looking elsewhere in the U.S. to expand its data centers. It said last week that it has entered into an agreement with Oracle to develop another 4.5 gigawatts of data center capacity. "We're now in a position where we have, in a really concrete way, identified over five gigawatts of energy that we're going to be able to build around," Lehane said. OpenAI hasn't named any locations, besides its flagship site in Texas, where it plans to build data centers. As of earlier this year, Wyoming was not one of the 16 states where OpenAI said it was looking for locations to build new data centers.

Cheyenne to host massive AI data center using more electricity than all Wyoming homes combined

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) -- An artificial intelligence data center that would use more electricity than every home in Wyoming combined before expanding to as much as five times that size will be built soon near Cheyenne, according to the city's mayor. "It's a game changer. It's huge," Mayor Patrick Collins said Monday. With cool weather -- good for keeping computer temperatures down -- and an abundance of inexpensive electricity from a top energy-producing state, Wyoming's capital has become a hub of computing power. The city has been home to Microsoft data centers since 2012. An $800 million data center announced last year by Facebook parent company Meta Platforms is nearing completion, Collins said. The latest data center, a joint effort between regional energy infrastructure company Tallgrass and AI data center developer Crusoe, would begin at 1.8 gigawatts of electricity and be scalable to 10 gigawatts, according to a joint company statement. A gigawatt can power as many as 1 million homes. But that's more homes than Wyoming has people. The least populated state, Wyoming, has about 590,000 people. And it's a major exporter of energy. A top producer of coal, oil and gas, Wyoming ranks behind only Texas, New Mexico and Pennsylvania as a top net energy-producing state, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Accounting for fossil fuels, Wyoming produces about 12 times more energy than it consumes. The state exports almost three-fifths of the electricity it produces, according to the EIA. But this proposed data center is so big, it would have its own dedicated energy from gas generation and renewable sources, according to Collins and company officials. Gov. Mark Gordon praised the project's value to the state's gas industry. "This is exciting news for Wyoming and for Wyoming natural gas producers," Gordon said in the statement. While data centers are energy-hungry, experts say companies can help reduce their effect on the climate by powering them with renewable energy rather than fossil fuels. Even so, electricity customers might see their bills increase as utilities plan for massive data projects on the grid. The data center would be built several miles (kilometers) south of Cheyenne off U.S. 85 near the Colorado state line. State and local regulators would need to sign off on the project, but Collins was optimistic construction could begin soon. "I believe their plans are to go sooner rather than later," Collins said. OpenAI, the developer of Chat GPT, has been scouring the U.S. for sites for a massive AI data center effort called Stargate, but a Crusoe spokesperson declined to say if the Cheyenne project was one. "We are not at a stage that we are ready to announce our tenant there," said the spokesperson, Andrew Schmitt. "I can't confirm or deny that is going to be one of the stargate." Recently, OpenAI announced it had switched on the first phase of a Crusoe-built data center complex in Abilene, Texas, in a partnership with software giant Oracle. "To the best of our knowledge, it is the largest data center -- we think of it as a campus -- in the world," OpenAI's chief global affairs officer Chris Lehane told The Associated Press last week. "It generates, roughly and depending how you count, about a gigawatt of energy." OpenAI has also been looking elsewhere in the U.S. to expand its data centers. It said last week that it has entered into an agreement with Oracle to develop another 4.5 gigawatts of data center capacity. "We're now in a position where we have, in a really concrete way, identified over five gigawatts of energy that we're going to be able to build around," Lehane said. OpenAI hasn't named any locations, besides its flagship site in Texas, where it plans to build data centers. As of earlier this year, Wyoming was not one of the 16 states where OpenAI said it was looking for locations to build new data centers. ___ O'Brien reported from Austin, Texas.

Cheyenne to host massive AI data center using more electricity than all Wyoming homes combined

CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- An artificial intelligence data center that would use more electricity than every home in Wyoming combined before expanding to as much as five times that size will be built soon near Cheyenne, according to the city's mayor. "It's a game changer. It's huge," Mayor Patrick Collins said Monday. With cool weather -- good for keeping computer temperatures down -- and an abundance of inexpensive electricity from a top energy-producing state, Wyoming's capital has become a hub of computing power. The city has been home to Microsoft data centers since 2012. An $800 million data center announced last year by Facebook parent company Meta Platforms is nearing completion, Collins said. The latest data center, a joint effort between regional energy infrastructure company Tallgrass and AI data center developer Crusoe, would begin at 1.8 gigawatts of electricity and be scalable to 10 gigawatts, according to a joint company statement. A gigawatt can power as many as 1 million homes. But that's more homes than Wyoming has people. The least populated state, Wyoming, has about 590,000 people. And it's a major exporter of energy. A top producer of coal, oil and gas, Wyoming ranks behind only Texas, New Mexico and Pennsylvania as a top net energy-producing state, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Accounting for fossil fuels, Wyoming produces about 12 times more energy than it consumes. The state exports almost three-fifths of the electricity it produces, according to the EIA. But this proposed data center is so big, it would have its own dedicated energy from gas generation and renewable sources, according to Collins and company officials. Gov. Mark Gordon praised the project's value to the state's gas industry. "This is exciting news for Wyoming and for Wyoming natural gas producers," Gordon said in the statement. While data centers are energy-hungry, experts say companies can help reduce their effect on the climate by powering them with renewable energy rather than fossil fuels. Even so, electricity customers might see their bills increase as utilities plan for massive data projects on the grid. The data center would be built several miles (kilometers) south of Cheyenne off U.S. 85 near the Colorado state line. State and local regulators would need to sign off on the project, but Collins was optimistic construction could begin soon. "I believe their plans are to go sooner rather than later," Collins said. OpenAI, the developer of Chat GPT, has been scouring the U.S. for sites for a massive AI data center effort called Stargate, but a Crusoe spokesperson declined to say if the Cheyenne project was one. "We are not at a stage that we are ready to announce our tenant there," said the spokesperson, Andrew Schmitt. "I can't confirm or deny that is going to be one of the stargate." Recently, OpenAI announced it had switched on the first phase of a Crusoe-built data center complex in Abilene, Texas, in a partnership with software giant Oracle. "To the best of our knowledge, it is the largest data center -- we think of it as a campus -- in the world," OpenAI's chief global affairs officer Chris Lehane told The Associated Press last week. "It generates, roughly and depending how you count, about a gigawatt of energy." OpenAI has also been looking elsewhere in the U.S. to expand its data centers. It said last week that it has entered into an agreement with Oracle to develop another 4.5 gigawatts of data center capacity. "We're now in a position where we have, in a really concrete way, identified over five gigawatts of energy that we're going to be able to build around," Lehane said. OpenAI hasn't named any locations, besides its flagship site in Texas, where it plans to build data centers. As of earlier this year, Wyoming was not one of the 16 states where OpenAI said it was looking for locations to build new data centers.

Cheyenne to Host Massive AI Data Center Using More Electricity Than All Wyoming Homes Combined

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) -- An artificial intelligence data center that would use more electricity than every home in Wyoming combined before expanding to as much as five times that size will be built soon near Cheyenne, according to the city's mayor. "It's a game changer. It's huge," Mayor Patrick Collins said Monday. With cool weather -- good for keeping computer temperatures down -- and an abundance of inexpensive electricity from a top energy-producing state, Wyoming's capital has become a hub of computing power. The city has been home to Microsoft data centers since 2012. An $800 million data center announced last year by Facebook parent company Meta Platforms is nearing completion, Collins said. The latest data center, a joint effort between regional energy infrastructure company Tallgrass and AI data center developer Crusoe, would begin at 1.8 gigawatts of electricity and be scalable to 10 gigawatts, according to a joint company statement. A gigawatt can power as many as 1 million homes. But that's more homes than Wyoming has people. The least populated state, Wyoming, has about 590,000 people. And it's a major exporter of energy. A top producer of coal, oil and gas, Wyoming ranks behind only Texas, New Mexico and Pennsylvania as a top net energy-producing state, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Accounting for fossil fuels, Wyoming produces about 12 times more energy than it consumes. The state exports almost three-fifths of the electricity it produces, according to the EIA. But this proposed data center is so big, it would have its own dedicated energy from gas generation and renewable sources, according to Collins and company officials. Gov. Mark Gordon praised the project's value to the state's gas industry. "This is exciting news for Wyoming and for Wyoming natural gas producers," Gordon said in the statement. While data centers are energy-hungry, experts say companies can help reduce their effect on the climate by powering them with renewable energy rather than fossil fuels. Even so, electricity customers might see their bills increase as utilities plan for massive data projects on the grid. The data center would be built several miles (kilometers) south of Cheyenne off U.S. 85 near the Colorado state line. State and local regulators would need to sign off on the project, but Collins was optimistic construction could begin soon. "I believe their plans are to go sooner rather than later," Collins said. OpenAI, the developer of Chat GPT, has been scouring the U.S. for sites for a massive AI data center effort called Stargate, but a Crusoe spokesperson declined to say if the Cheyenne project was one. "We are not at a stage that we are ready to announce our tenant there," said the spokesperson, Andrew Schmitt. "I can't confirm or deny that is going to be one of the stargate." Recently, OpenAI announced it had switched on the first phase of a Crusoe-built data center complex in Abilene, Texas, in a partnership with software giant Oracle. "To the best of our knowledge, it is the largest data center -- we think of it as a campus -- in the world," OpenAI's chief global affairs officer Chris Lehane told The Associated Press last week. "It generates, roughly and depending how you count, about a gigawatt of energy." OpenAI has also been looking elsewhere in the U.S. to expand its data centers. It said last week that it has entered into an agreement with Oracle to develop another 4.5 gigawatts of data center capacity. "We're now in a position where we have, in a really concrete way, identified over five gigawatts of energy that we're going to be able to build around," Lehane said. OpenAI hasn't named any locations, besides its flagship site in Texas, where it plans to build data centers. As of earlier this year, Wyoming was not one of the 16 states where OpenAI said it was looking for locations to build new data centers. ___ O'Brien reported from Austin, Texas.