1.25GW data center approved on ranchland near Evanston, Wyoming
Uinta County Commissioners unanimously approved a 1.25-gigawatt Prometheus Hyperscale data center near Evanston, Wyoming, despite public pushback over environmental concerns. The company states it will use a private well and water-glycol mixture for cooling, avoiding the Bear River, and primarily power the facility with natural gas, with future plans for nuclear energy.
Uinta County Commissioners in Wyoming have unanimously approved Prometheus Hyperscale's 1.25-gigawatt artificial intelligence data center near Evanston. The decision came after significant public pushback in packed town hall meetings regarding the project's environmental impact, mirroring concerns raised about data centers in Box Elder County, Utah.
The data center, Prometheus Hyperscale's "flagship project," will be located on 506 acres of Trenton Thornock's family ranchland, approximately 12 miles east of Evanston. Construction is expected to commence within six months of final permitting and take four to five years to complete.
Prometheus Hyperscale has addressed water concerns by stating the facility will use a private, on-site well for plumbing and a water-glycol mixture for server cooling, which lasts six years before replacement. Eric Schlidt, director of Prometheus' Build Wyoming initiative, confirmed the coolant will be trucked in, meaning the data center will not draw on local groundwater or surface water for cooling, specifically avoiding the Bear River.
Regarding power, the data center will consume 1.25 gigawatts, exceeding the total electricity usage of all Wyoming homes. Company founder Trenton Thornock indicated that most power would initially come from natural gas, with aspirations for nuclear energy in the future. The approval of this project contrasts with ongoing debates in nearby Utah counties, where communities are now drafting data center regulations in response to public outcry, particularly in Box Elder County regarding a proposed 9-gigawatt data center.