Facility expected to reach full operation by end of 2028
American Electric Power plans to invest about $4 billion in a fuel cell generation project in Wyoming to meet growing energy demand from Google, the utility said Wednesday.
Google will acquire power from Cheyenne Fuel Cell under a 20-year power purchase agreement. Cheyenne Fuel Cell is approximately 92% owned and controlled by AEP.
The facility would support Google’s increasing energy needs in the greater Cheyenne, Wyo., area. The project would use fuel cell technology developed by Bloom Energy that AEP said is designed for rapid deployment and reliable, on-demand power.
“This project demonstrates how we are creating new opportunities to meet evolving energy needs for customers both within and beyond our traditional service territory,” AEP Chief Executive Bill Fehrman said in the announcement.
AEP said it plans to begin construction on the project this year and expects the facility to be fully operational by the end of 2028.
American Electric Power trades under the ticker AEP. Google is a unit of Alphabet Inc., which trades under GOOGL.
The Wall Street Journal reported the announcement Wednesday.