Tallgrass Project Update

Last Friday, May 8, 2026, I met with representatives from Tallgrass Energy to get an update on the data center and power‑plant project south of town. As always, I went in with the questions many of you have been asking, so I can keep sharing clear, factual information with the community.

Water was one of the main topics we discussed. I pressed them on concerns about aquifers, and they confirmed the project will draw its water from the Lance Aquifer — the deep aquifer already tied to that site — not from the shallower aquifers that supply residential wells across the county. They also walked me through their closed‑loop cooling system, which reduces water use, and explained that they’re still evaluating whether their fuel‑cell technology could actually offset some of their water demand by generating water as a byproduct. Those engineering details are still in progress, and I’ll keep pushing for concrete numbers as they become available.

We also discussed power usage and its implications for residents. I asked whether this project could raise rates or strain the grid. They were clear that residential ratepayers will not be picking up the tab for any infrastructure needed for this project, and that the systems they’re building are designed not to affect local household reliability or costs.

Another point worth sharing is that Tallgrass has now opened a local office downtown in the old Cheyenne Police Department building. This office is meant to give the public a place to go with questions, concerns, or requests for information. They said they want to increase transparency, provide a consistent point of contact, and be more accessible to the community.

We also covered air quality, emissions, and system redundancy. Their combined‑cycle and fuel‑cell systems are designed to meet DEQ requirements with much lower emissions than traditional plants.

There’s been a lot of information — and misinformation — circulating about this project, which is why I’ll keep meeting with their team, asking tough questions, and sharing what I learn. Transparency matters, and the community deserves straight answers.

If you have questions you want me to raise in future meetings, please reach out anytime.