150-megawatt solar farm opens in Laramie County

CHEYENNE (WNE) — A year ago, a piece of land in southern Laramie County off U.S. Highway 85 sat barren and looked like most undeveloped land in the area. Now, it is home to more than 315,500 solar panel modules that generate 150 megawatts of energy that will power a portion of the Meta data center set to open in 2027.

Managed by Southern Power, the company held a ribbon- cutting ceremony for the state’s newest solar farm that more than doubles Wyoming’s solar energy production. Southern Power acquired the project from Hanwha Qcells, a major South Korean solar panel manufacturer, in September 2023. They contracted Qcells for the manufacture and construction of the South Cheyenne Solar Facility while overseeing the project.

Southern Power President Robin Boren said the site was invested in and completed with the intention of supplying renewable energy to Meta’s data center all along.

The energy will be transferred to Meta over a 20-year contract between Southern Power, Black Hills Energy and Meta. In this contract, Southern Power produces the power and sells it to Black Hills Energy, which can use the power to meet the needs of its customers while also satisfying a deal with Meta to provide 150 megawatts of renewable energy to power its Cheyenne data center.

Though Meta has yet to release information about how much energy its Cheyenne facility will consume, it will likely be well over 150 megawatts.

The South Cheyenne Solar Facility will help Meta meet its goal of powering the Cheyenne data center 100% from renewable energy sources.

This story was published on July 12, 2024.