Wyoming’s Data Center Debate Runs Through Its Water Supply
A statewide Wyoming survey found that 70% of respondents oppose allowing more large artificial-intelligence data centers, amid concerns about water security, power demand and community benefits. The article also discusses the withdrawal of Prometheus Hyperscale from a proposed Natrona County development and says future projects will face scrutiny over water rights, dependable electricity and local agreements.
Wyoming residents are showing broad concern about expanding large AI data centers, with a University of Wyoming survey finding 70% opposition. The article links that opposition to worries about water security, drought, electricity demand and whether promised jobs, revenue and infrastructure will benefit communities. A separate survey found strong support for water conservation, reuse and planning, although the two polls used different samples and cannot establish a direct causal connection.
The report argues that developers and officials should identify reliable water and power supplies before advancing projects. It cites Cheyenne and Casper as examples of distinct water systems and notes that Prometheus Hyperscale withdrew from a proposed Natrona County development, while the landowner said it intended to continue without the company. The article says future decisions will proceed through permits, utility agreements, water rights and local hearings, without concluding that the withdrawal was caused by opposition or resource shortages.