AEP to invest $4 billion in Wyoming fuel-cell plant powering Google data centers

American Electric Power announced a $4 billion investment to develop a 702-MW fuel-cell power plant near Cheyenne, Wyoming, secured by a 20-year power purchase agreement with Alphabet’s Google. The facility, to be operated by Cheyenne Fuel Cell, LLC, will be 92% owned by AEP and about 8% by Basalt Infrastructure Partners, LLP. It will rely on Bloom Energy’s fuel-cell technology and feature carbon-capture equipment aimed at delivering near-zero-emission electricity.

Groundbreaking is planned for this year, with the plant expected to be fully operational by late 2028. The venture complements Google’s broader strategy to source clean power for its data centers, including recent nuclear, geothermal and additional Bloom Energy contracts. Earlier this year, AEP also secured a $2.65 billion option for up to 900 MW of extra Bloom Energy fuel cells.