Google's $17 Billion Wyoming Data Center Project Takes Shape

Google's proposed $17 billion data center campus in Laramie County, Wyoming, was the focus of an open house event. The Metropolitan Downtown's event room was packed with members of the public, local and state government officials, industrial developers, and more. Google representatives outlined their plans and addressed questions about water use, energy, construction, jobs, environmental impacts, and the company's long-term community involvement.

The project, previously known as Project Jade, is being developed in partnership with Tallgrass Integrated Logistics Solutions LLC. It will include four data centers, an office building, logistics center, network facilities, mechanical and electrical yards, parking, and other infrastructure. Construction could begin this year with mass grading followed by vertical construction in 2027, and the project is expected to be completed by the first half of 2031.

Google's land acquisition and development lead, Eric Murray, said there will initially be around 250 operational jobs at the site, including facilities managers and network operations managers. The project has undergone changes since Google partnered with Tallgrass, including reducing the number of data center buildings from five to four and building two permanent entrances instead of one.

Water usage was a concern, but Google representatives said the facility will use an air-cooled, closed-loop system that won't consume or evaporate processed water. They also plan to draw water from wells over 1,500 feet underground and treat wastewater onsite before discharging it into lined evaporative ponds.