US utility American Electric Power (AEP) plans to invest about $4 billion in a 702-megawatt fuel-cell power plant near Cheyenne, Wyoming, and sell the electricity to Google under a 20-year power purchase agreement. AEP announced the project on 14 October 2026.
The plant will use fuel cells made by Bloom Energy. AEP says it is “supporting Google’s growing energy needs in the greater Cheyenne area”. It did not name a specific Google facility.
The deal
Google will buy the power from Cheyenne Fuel Cell, LLC, which AEP says is about 92% owned and controlled by AEP and nearly 8% owned by funds advised by Basalt Infrastructure Partners. AEP and its partners plan to start building in 2026 and expect the plant to be fully running by the end of 2028.
“As power demand continues to grow, AEP is bringing together new technologies and strong partnerships to deliver reliable, innovative energy solutions quickly and at scale,” said Bill Fehrman, AEP’s chairman, president and chief executive.
AEP says the project follows agreements between Google and the utility Black Hills Corp. that took effect on 30 September.
How fuel cells work
A fuel cell turns fuel into electricity through a chemical reaction instead of burning it. AEP says Bloom’s technology “generates electricity without combustion of natural gas” and can be installed quickly to give large customers reliable power on demand.
AEP also says the project includes plans to add carbon capture to deliver “near-zero-emissions power”. That is AEP’s claim; the carbon capture is planned, not yet built.
What this means
- Big tech is paying for its own power. Google is locking in 20 years of electricity from a dedicated plant.
- Fuel cells are a fast option. Power companies are using them to serve large new loads without waiting years for grid upgrades.
- The climate claim depends on carbon capture. The “near-zero” promise rests on technology that is still only planned.
Sources
- American Electric Power, “AEP Advances Innovative Energy Solution for Google with 702MW of Bloom Fuel Cells”, PR Newswire, 14 October 2026. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aep-advances-innovative-energy-solution-for-google-with-702mw-of-bloom-fuel-cells-302907658.html
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