Natrona County, Prometheus Hyperscale consider bypassing state review for new AI complex
Prometheus Hyperscale is proposing a 1,250-megawatt AI data center complex east of Casper, with an initial investment of about $500 million. Natrona County officials are considering handling the project’s permitting locally through an industrial park exemption rather than the state industrial siting process, while evaluating its water use, electricity needs, environmental impacts, and community benefits.
Prometheus Hyperscale is proposing a large artificial intelligence computing complex east of Casper in Natrona County, with an initial investment of roughly $500 million and potential future expansion. The company says its planned closed-loop cooling system would reduce water consumption, while natural gas-powered generators and carbon sequestration wells would supply power independently of the public grid.
Natrona County commissioners, including Chairman Jim Milne and Commissioner Dave North, are drafting potential conditions and expectations for the project. They are considering whether to use Wyoming’s industrial park exemption to conduct a county-led review instead of pursuing the standard Wyoming Industrial Siting Council process, which typically involves analysis by about 19 state and federal agencies. Environmental advocates Jocelyn Wulf and John Burrows of the Wyoming Outdoor Council cautioned that county-led reviews could be less comprehensive and create a race to the bottom in data center regulation. No formal application has yet been submitted, and Prometheus Chief of Staff Abby Pick said the company plans to hold public meetings once more concrete information is available.