“After spending a great deal of time evaluating the opportunity we have decided to not pursue a data center project in Natrona or Converse Counties,” Prometheus Hyperscale President Trevor Neilson told WyoFile via email.
That announcement on Wednesday ended months of planning for a massive 1,250-megawatt artificial intelligence computing complex east of Casper. Prometheus Hyperscale is no longer pursuing the Natrona and Converse County locations, shifting its development focus elsewhere in the state.
The decision lands directly in the middle of escalating local and national debates over the heavy power and water demands of modern technology infrastructure. Data center developments emerged as a prominent campaign issue during the election season, with political figures like Republican House nominee Chuck Gray making vocal opposition to these projects a central pillar of their messaging to voters.
Shifting Plans East of Casper
Prometheus originally pitched a $500 million project designed to straddle both Natrona and Converse counties. Developers later reconfigured the footprint to site the entire complex entirely within rural Natrona County east of Casper.
The project gained official visibility in September when Prometheus founder Trenton Thornock appeared before Natrona County commissioners. That appearance initiated talks about potentially bypassing standard state-level industrial permitting by utilizing local county parameters instead.
Under Wyoming law, major industrial projects typically must undergo a review governed by the Industrial Siting Act. This statute requires a permit from the Industrial Siting Council, drawing analysis from roughly 19 different state and federal agencies.
However, some data center developers have explored opting out of that rigorous framework by leaning on the state’s “industrial park exemption.” This pathway allows developers to work directly with counties that possess detailed zoning capabilities.
Natrona County Officials Surprised by Abrupt Cancellation
Local officials learned about the cancellation through news reports, leaving commissioners surprised by the abrupt turnaround.
“It took me by surprise,” Natrona County Commissioner Dave North told WyoFile. “I listened to their concerns, but pretty much all of their concerns could have been mitigated — the ones that I heard, anyway.”
During preliminary discussions in September, commissioners focused heavily on resource protections. Safeguards for local water supplies, electrical rate stability for residents, and mitigation of noise and light pollution topped the local agenda. North noted that while commissioners heard opposition from residents, support for the project was also notably present.
Commission Chairman Jim Milne shared similar sentiments regarding the unexpected announcement.
“I don’t see the Natrona County government as being a deciding factor for them to pull out, but I don’t know,” Milne told WyoFile. “I’m just kind of disappointed, and I’d highly encourage them to reconsider if they have a future project or change their minds and reconsider Natrona County.” Commission Chairman Jim Milne
Neilson did not detail the exact factors driving the withdrawal from the Casper region. Even so, the company remains active elsewhere in the Equality State.
Prometheus continues to advance its separate data center and energy complex in southwestern Wyoming. “We are thrilled with our progress in Evanston with Uinta County and believe other additional locations in Wyoming offer a clearer path to permitting and community support,” Neilson stated.
Formal permit and zoning applications had not yet been filed in Natrona County when the project was canceled, leaving local discussions unfinished as the company redirects its multi-megawatt ambitions elsewhere.
