Guest Column: I Grew Up on This Land. I'll Continue to Protect It.
Prometheus Hyperscale founder Trenton Thornock addresses community concerns in Wyoming regarding proposed data centers, focusing on water and electricity usage. He explains the company's closed-loop cooling and on-site natural gas power generation systems are designed to minimize environmental impact and local utility costs. The projects aim to bring economic value, jobs, and tax revenue to Uinta, Natrona, and Converse counties.
Trenton Thornock, founder of Prometheus Hyperscale and a sixth-generation Uinta County rancher, has penned a guest column in Cowboy State Daily addressing local concerns about the company's proposed data centers in Wyoming. Thornock emphasizes his deep connection to the land and water in Uinta County, stating his commitment to protecting these resources.
He directly responds to worries from Evanston and Casper residents regarding water and electricity consumption. Thornock explains that Prometheus Hyperscale's data centers will utilize a closed-loop cooling system, similar to a sealed radiator, which does not draw from or discharge to local water supplies, thus avoiding the high water usage of older evaporative cooling methods. For power, the facilities will generate their own electricity on-site using Wyoming's natural gas, ensuring local ratepayers are not impacted.
Thornock also details plans for noise mitigation, with most equipment running indoors and exterior components fitted with sound controls to maintain quiet neighborhood decibel levels, and dark-sky compatible lighting. He highlights the economic benefits, projecting substantial property tax revenue for Uinta, Natrona, and Converse counties, as well as sales and use taxes during construction. The project is expected to create 3,800 peak construction jobs and permanent, well-paying technical positions, which the company aims to fill with Wyoming residents through its "Build Wyoming" program.
Acknowledging that the project is still in its early permitting stages, Thornock invites further discussion and questions from community members, stating that Prometheus has already begun engaging with groups in Evanston and Casper. He reiterates his personal commitment to building the project responsibly on his family's ancestral land.