Google drops $17B on Project Tembo, its first Wyoming data center

Google just went big in Wyoming. The company is committing $17 billion to its first data center campus in the state, a sprawling project near Cheyenne known as Project Tembo.

The site sits in south Laramie County and would cover roughly 716 acres. Four large data center buildings anchor the campus, totaling about 3.08 million square feet, with an office building, logistics and network facilities, and the usual supporting infrastructure rounding out the plan.

The number that really turns heads is power. Project Tembo is designed around 2.7 GW of capacity, reserves included. Black Hills Corp. has committed $1.8 billion to new generation tied to the campus, and the setup features a private microgrid running through 2048 — a localized power system built to serve the campus rather than leaning entirely on the public grid.

This didn't start as a Google project. The site was originally known as Project Jade, a venture involving Crusoe and Tallgrass. After Crusoe exited, Google stepped in as lead in mid-2026 through an entity called Jupiter Star Holdings LLC.

Construction is on a long runway. Site work and mass grading could kick off by late 2026, with vertical construction slated for 2027. Initial operations are targeted for the second half of 2028, and full completion is expected in the first half of 2031.

The build is also a jobs story. Peak construction employment is expected to hit about 2,500 workers, and the finished campus is projected to become one of Laramie County's largest future tax bases.