Black Hills Energy

Data Center Signal is tracking 32 clips about Black Hills Energy data center developments across 3 states, including WY, MT, SD.

32Clips

3States

States

Topics

electricity100%

government75%

water59%

environmental59%

zoning47%

announcement41%

opposition41%

moratorium6%

News ClipWyoming Tribune Eagle·Cheyenne, Laramie County, WY

Cox Ranch data center developers outline project, commitments at council work session

Developers ViaWest Group and Skybox Datacenters provided an update to the Cheyenne City Council on their proposed Cox Ranch data center project, discussing ongoing community engagement, water usage plans, and infrastructure commitments. The project requires further city approvals, including a postponed annexation decision, before construction can begin. Developers also presented a document outlining their community commitments in response to council and community concerns.

zoning opposition environmental announcement government electricity water

8/28/2026

News ClipGillette News Record·Cheyenne, Laramie County, WY

Data center developers talk water, energy use and more in Cheyenne forum

Data center developers and local utility officials addressed community concerns at a Greater Cheyenne Chamber of Commerce luncheon. The discussion focused on the impacts of the growing data center industry, particularly regarding water use, electricity costs, and environmental effects. Companies highlighted new technologies to reduce water consumption and committed to paying for necessary infrastructure investments.

water electricity environmental

Meta Microsoft

8/10/2026

News ClipWyomingNews.com·Cheyenne, Laramie County, WY

Data center developers talk water, energy use and more in forum

Data center developers and utility officials addressed community concerns in Cheyenne, Wyoming, regarding water usage, electricity costs, and environmental impacts. Companies like Related Digital, Meta, and Microsoft detailed their efforts to reduce water consumption and mitigate environmental footprints, while Black Hills Energy clarified that data centers pay for necessary grid infrastructure. The forum aimed to provide accurate information amidst growing data center development in the area.

water electricity environmental

Meta Microsoft

8/7/2026

News ClipWyomingNews.com·Carbon County, WY

Wyoming contemplates power supply regulations for AI, data centers

Wyoming is grappling with how to regulate power supply for large-scale data centers and AI operations. Developers are proposing dedicated power plants to meet massive electrical demands, but state officials lack a clear regulatory framework. The Wyoming Public Service Commission recently rejected a request from Anschutz Corporation regarding its proposed power project, citing a need for new 'non-utility generator' rules.

electricity government

7/28/2026

News ClipCowboy State Daily·Cheyenne, Laramie County, WY

Google Identified as Owner of Wyoming's Largest Data Center Project Near Cheyenne

Google has been revealed as the owner of the 2.7-gigawatt data center previously known as Project Jade, now Project Tembo, located near Cheyenne, Wyoming. The massive campus is undergoing site plan amendments with Laramie County, with a hearing scheduled for an additional office support facility permit. The project highlights Cheyenne's emergence as a tech hub, drawing concerns about infrastructure planning.

announcement government electricity water zoning

Google Crusoe Energy

7/8/2026

News ClipKOTA Territory News·Rapid City, Meade County, SD

South Dakota drought strains power grid as Rapid City data center moves forward

A new 15-megawatt data center by Sequitor Edge is planned for Rapid City, South Dakota, amidst a significant drought straining the regional power grid. Black Hills Energy, the utility provider, states it has the capacity to meet the increased demand, citing its experience with other large data center customers and its long-term planning. Sequitor Edge claims its facility will be highly energy-efficient.

environmental electricity announcement

7/2/2026

News ClipCowboy State Daily·Cheyenne, Laramie County, WY

How Black Hills Energy Is Preparing For Surge Of Power-Hungry Wyoming Data Centers

Black Hills Energy is preparing for a significant increase in power demand from data centers in Wyoming, including "Project Jade." The utility relies on its decade-old "large-load tariff" which requires data centers to fund all necessary infrastructure, thereby insulating existing ratepayers from increased costs. This system, previously applied to Microsoft's data center, is being tested as projects scale to gigawatt capacities.

electricity government

Microsoft

6/23/2026

News ClipCowboy State Daily·Cheyenne, Laramie County, WY

Wyoming Wrestles With Unprecedented Power Demand From Massive Data Centers

Wyoming is grappling with an unprecedented demand for electricity from massive data centers, including projects from Meta and Microsoft, that could soon consume more power than the entire state currently uses. State regulators and utilities are seeking solutions to accommodate this growth without affecting residential consumers, while U.S. Sen. Cynthia Lummis has introduced a federal bill to standardize how large power users connect to the grid.

electricity government

Meta Microsoft

6/19/2026

News ClipWyomingNews.com·Cheyenne, Laramie County, WY

Committee advances annexation, zoning requests tied to Microsoft data center expansion

Cheyenne city officials have advanced annexation and rezoning requests for nearly 3,460 acres to facilitate Microsoft's long-term data center expansion. The decision was made despite significant community opposition regarding water usage, noise, wildlife impact, and the scale of development, with a final council meeting scheduled for June 6.

zoning opposition environmental announcement government electricity

Microsoft

6/15/2026

News ClipCowboy State Daily·Cheyenne, Laramie County, WY

Inside The $1.2 Billion Data Center Campus Being Built In Cheyenne

Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon and Cheyenne Mayor Patrick Collins toured the $1.2 billion Related Digital data center campus in Cheyenne, highlighting its nearing completion and state-of-the-art features. The facility, which will provide 420 megawatts of computational capacity for CoreWeave, emphasizes efficiency in energy and water use with a closed-loop cooling system. Leaders also discussed the project's economic impact, including tax revenue, job creation, and a $3.5 million commitment to affordable housing in Cheyenne.

electricity water environmental government

CoreWeave

6/14/2026

News ClipWyomingNews.com·Cheyenne, Laramie County, WY

Cheyenne Mayor Discusses Data Center Details and Community Impact

Cheyenne Mayor Patrick Collins discusses various aspects of data center development in the city, including community concerns about water and electricity usage, environmental impacts, and local government interactions. He highlights a site visit by a Colorado delegation and a tour of a Related Digital data center under construction.

zoning environmental announcement government electricity water

Microsoft

6/13/2026

News ClipCowboy State Daily·Cheyenne, Laramie County, WY

Partner Pulling Out Doesn’t Slow Huge 2.7GW Cheyenne Project Jade Data Center

Crusoe, a founding partner, quietly exited the 2.7-gigawatt Project Jade data center near Cheyenne, Wyoming. Despite Crusoe's departure, other partners, Tallgrass Energy and Black Hills Energy, confirm that the project is continuing full steam ahead. The massive data center will have its own natural-gas-fired power plant and use a closed-loop cooling system to minimize environmental impact.

announcement electricity environmental water

Crusoe Energy

6/11/2026

News ClipCowboy State Daily·Cheyenne, Laramie County, WY

Cheyenne Residents Oppose Black Hills Energy Gas Plant

Rural residents north of Cheyenne, Wyoming, are strongly opposing a proposed natural gas power plant by Black Hills Energy, fearing it will industrialize their agricultural community and potentially power future data centers. A contentious meeting revealed unanimous local opposition, with residents expressing concerns about water usage, emissions, noise, and the impact on property values and the area's character. The project is in its early stages and will undergo a multi-year state review process.

opposition electricity environmental zoning

6/10/2026

News ClipCowboy State Daily·Cheyenne, Laramie County, WY

Cheyenne Leaders, Industry Officials: Data Centers Could Lower Electricity Costs

Local leaders and industry officials in Cheyenne, Wyoming, argue that data centers are lowering electricity costs for residents, stabilizing water rates, and enabling affordable housing development. This perspective comes amid citizen concerns about water scarcity, energy demand, and housing affordability, which have led to a petition for a data center moratorium. The debate highlights the economic and social impacts of rapid digital infrastructure growth in the region.

electricity water opposition moratorium government

Microsoft Meta

6/8/2026

News ClipCap City News·Cheyenne, Laramie County, WY

Public angst over data center growth addressed by panel of city officials, experts Saturday

Cheyenne, Wyoming, hosted a public panel with city officials, utility staff, and industry experts to address community concerns regarding data center growth. The discussion covered development oversight, zoning processes, water and energy consumption, and environmental impacts. Key takeaways included the city's "do no harm" standard for developers and the economic benefits for the community.

zoning opposition environmental government electricity water

Microsoft Meta

6/7/2026

News ClipWyomingNews.com·Cheyenne, Laramie County, WY

Panel addresses data center concerns, how to stay informed

The City of Cheyenne hosted a public panel to address growing community concerns regarding the influx of data centers in Laramie County. Key topics discussed included water and electricity usage, zoning processes, environmental impacts, and noise regulations. City officials, utility representatives, and data center industry figures sought to clarify misconceptions and assure residents about the economic and environmental impacts.

zoning opposition environmental government electricity water

Microsoft Meta

6/7/2026

News ClipOil City News·Casper, Natrona County, WY

Wyoming lawmakers consider energy deregulation for data centers, industrial power

Wyoming lawmakers are considering a bill to deregulate electricity for large industrial users, including data centers, to address power demands and reliability issues. The proposal would allow some electricity producers to operate outside public utility regulations if serving high-demand customers. Utilities oppose the bill, citing concerns about financial risks to ratepayers.

electricity government

6/5/2026

News ClipMontana State Exponent·Billings, Yellowstone County, MT

Opposing parties present closing arguments on proposed NorthWestern merger

The Montana Public Service Commission concluded hearings on a proposed merger between NorthWestern Energy and Black Hills Energy. Opponents, including environmental groups, warned the merger could open the door for more data centers, burdening ratepayers with electricity costs. The commission will decide in coming months whether the merger is in the public interest.

electricity government opposition

5/19/2026

News ClipCap City News·Cheyenne, Laramie County, WY

Cheyenne Data Center Moratorium Proposed for Smart Planning

Cheyenne City Councilor Mark Moody has sponsored a one-year moratorium on new data center construction in Cheyenne, Wyoming. This proposal comes amidst circulating petitions and growing concerns about the long-term impacts of rapid data center expansion on the city's power grid, water supply, land use, and security. The moratorium aims to allow time for comprehensive planning and impact studies.

moratorium opposition electricity water environmental zoning government

5/11/2026

News ClipBillings Gazette·MT

NorthWestern Energy's proposed merger with Black Hills Energy driven by data center growth$

NorthWestern Energy is pursuing a merger with South Dakota utility Black Hills Energy, despite publicly denying that data centers are the underlying reason. However, company executives reportedly informed investors that data center demand is a primary driver for the proposed deal. The article is an opinion piece from the Montana Environmental Information Center, highlighting a perceived contradiction in the company's messaging.

electricity announcement

5/9/2026