Data center, power plant organizers set open house about project
Plainsmen Holdings is proposing Project Thunderbird, a data center and power corridor project in Enid, Oklahoma, and will hold a public open house to discuss the initiative and address public concerns. The project involves rezoning property for four campuses, including a 3.3-gigawatt power generation facility, and is currently in the initial stages with pending zoning decisions before local commissions. Public opposition has emerged regarding water usage, environmental impact, and noise.
Plainsmen Holdings, an entity composed of four Enid natives including Chad Dillingham and Jason Singer, is moving forward with Project Thunderbird, a major data center and power corridor infrastructure initiative planned for the Enid, Oklahoma, area. The developers will host a public open house on September 24, 2026, at Enid High School to engage with the community, address concerns, and provide information about the project.
The proposed Project Thunderbird encompasses approximately 1,735 acres across four campuses within Enid, featuring plans for a substantial 3.3-gigawatt on-site power generation facility. Marcie Mack, executive director of the Enid Regional Development Alliance, stated that the project aims to support Vance Air Force Base, generate new revenue for local schools, the city, and county, and attract private investment without increasing local taxes, electric rates, or water bills. The power plant is intended to fulfill a Department of Defense mandate for Vance Air Force Base to have an off-grid, redundant power supply by 2030.
Water usage is a key aspect, with the data centers and power plant projected to use around 1.54 million gallons daily from the city's Kaw Lake water pipeline, utilizing a closed-loop cooling system for the data centers. Plainsmen Holdings seeks a 2-million-gallon-per-day agreement with the city, along with on-campus water storage. The project is currently in its initial phase, with plans to present rezoning requests for two locations to the Metropolitan Area Planning Commission on September 28, followed by the Enid City Commission on October 6.
Despite the developers' commitment to transparency, significant public opposition has been voiced on social media, citing concerns over water consumption, potential environmental damage, and noise. Some residents are actively organizing petition drives against the plan, highlighting the ongoing community engagement and the early stage of the project's development.