Cheyenne discussion flags power, transmission and water as central challenges for large data‑center builds

CTAC members used the session to probe infrastructure risks tied to very large data‑center proposals and to ask how local utilities can respond without shifting costs to residents.

Courtney Thompson said utility and transmission upgrades will be a long‑term bet for the state and praised tariff innovations at Black Hills Power that enabled large consumers to be served without raising residential costs. "Black Hills really came to the table with their large, power consumer tariffs," she said.

On the question of on‑site generation and legal constraints, Thompson said Wyoming may need to consider modifications to legal requirements governing power production to allow small modular reactors or natural‑gas on‑site generation and to enable microgrids. "You're definitely gonna start seeing some traction on maybe looking at modifying some of the legal requirements or changing some of the laws around power production," she said.

CTAC also raised concerns about water use. Thompson described modern cooling as increasingly efficient: ambient/adiabatic cooling reduces the need for water most of the year and dual‑loop systems can cut operational water loss. "We can cool this facility at about, you know, a tenth of what it takes to cool other facilities in the United States," she said, adding that commissioning water use can be nontrivial but that new designs aim to minimize ongoing consumption.

Speakers agreed utilities, local governments and developers must coordinate on transmission, tariffs and permitting to match capacity with demand while limiting community costs.