Google Powers Wyoming Data Center Campus with 2.7 GW Renewable Energy Mix

What Black Hills is actually building

The setup is a hybrid supply model. Black Hills plans to deliver up to 590 MW of grid-connected power, mostly from newly built natural gas plants. On top of that, the utility will manage around 2.1 GW of additional resources through a microgrid. A microgrid is a localized power network that can run alongside the main grid or independently.

Google is picking up the tab

The most notable term may be who pays. Under the agreements, Google will cover all associated project expenses, which is meant to shield other Black Hills customers from the financial impact.

The AI power scramble comes to Wyoming

Black Hills is also mid-merger. The company is combining with NorthWestern Energy, a deal aimed at creating a larger regulated utility better positioned to serve big customers like Google.

Combined resources

Combined, the overall resource mix comes to approximately 2.7 GW. That is a substantial amount of capacity dedicated to one data center campus.

Projected benefits

To get there, Black Hills plans to spend about $1.8 billion between 2027 and 2029. The money will fund 564 MW of natural gas-fired capacity at the Cheyenne Prairie Generating Station.

Timeline

The timeline is not immediate. Energy service is set to start ramping up in late 2027, with the load expected to peak in 2030.

Projected financial benefits

For Black Hills, the projected payoff is meaningful. The utility anticipates around $150 million in additional net income by 2030.

Projected cash flow

It also estimates roughly $2.4 billion in unlevered free cash flow through 2048, net of generation capital expenditures.