🚧 Energy | Cowboy State Daily

Interest In Community Solar Power Projects Grows In Wyoming And Montana

As legislators in Wyoming and Montana debate solar power in their states, more homeowners are installing panels. They’re also considering community solar projects where people can subscribe to get power, like they would for Netflix or other services.

David MadisonMarch 31, 2025

A plan to store carbon dioxide in underground voids deep within a huge swath of southwest Wyoming was approved Wednesday by the Bureau of Land Management.

BLM OKs Plan To Store CO2 Under 600,000 Acres Of Southwest Wyoming

The Bureau of Land Management has approved a plan to store carbon dioxide under 605,100 acres of land in southwest Wyoming. Over 30 years, it could store 600 million metric tons of carbon dioxide.

David MadisonMarch 27, 2025

Power Plants Burning More Wyoming Coal So Far In 2025

Despite the layoffs of 28 Kemmerer coal mine workers last week, there’s evidence of an uptick in demand for thermal coal from Wyoming. So far in 2025, power plants are burning more coal.

David MadisonMarch 27, 2025

Radiant Chief Operating Officer Tori Shivanandan explains the complany's tiny micro nuclear reactors at a Tuesday town hall in Bar Nunn, Wyoming.

Bar Nunn Locals Receptive To Build Micro Reactors, Not So Much Storing Spent Fuel

Bar Nunn locals were receptive to a $250 million to $500 million project to build micro nuclear reactors there at a Tuesday meeting to present the plan. They aren’t as excited about the spent nuclear fuel coming back to be stored there.

Leo WolfsonMarch 26, 2025

Rare Element Resources has already started operations at its rare earths demonstration plant in Upton, Wyoming.

With Rare Earths In Trump’s Fast Lane, Wyoming Projects Get Cash Infusions

As the Trump administration continues to put domestic development of rare earth mining and processing in the fast lane, Wyoming’s big projects benefit. The push means huge infusions of cash to develop them.

David MadisonMarch 26, 2025

Trump Order Further Tees Up Wyoming To Become Leader In Rare Earth Elements

Trump’s executive order last week to boost production of rare earth elements tees up Wyoming become a focus for that. Breaking China’s stranglehold on the world’s supply “is an emergency,” says Holly Krutka, who heads UW’s School of Energy Resources.

David MadisonMarch 24, 2025

The Laramie River Station power plant near Wheatland, Wyoming.

Trump Promises Comeback For U.S. Coal, To Reopen “Hundreds” Of Coal-Fired Plants

President Trump promised this week to reopen “hundreds” of coal-fired power plants and spark a comeback for the industry. Wyoming experts say that’s refreshing to hear, but it won’t happen as long as coal costs more than gas and renewables.

David MadisonMarch 20, 2025

Excess gas is flared off at the Sinclair oil refinery in southern Wyoming.

New Report Says There’s Still 'Substantial' Oil And Gas Under Wyoming

A U.S. Geological Survey report released last week says there’s still "substantial" oil and gas underneath Wyoming. The Powder River, Wind River and Bighorn basins still have nearly 50 million barrels of oil and close to 1 billion cubic feet of gas.

David MadisonMarch 19, 2025

Consumer Advocates Warn More Rate Increases Ahead For Rocky Mountain Power Customers

Both of Wyoming’s consumer advocate groups foresee more rate increases ahead for Rocky Mountain Power customers. If commissioners approve the latest rate increase, the overall rate increase in the past two years totals 30.4%.

Renée JeanMarch 13, 2025

Uranium Energy Corp. Produces Its First Batch Of Wyoming Yellowcake Uranium

Uranium Energy Corp. has hit a milestone, producing its first batch of Wyoming yellowcake uranium. It’s a huge step for the company as it ramps up to 8.1 million pounds of production capacity in the Cowboy State.

Renée JeanMarch 08, 2025

A loaded coal train rolls past the Dry Fork Station power plant about 10 miles north of Gillette, Wyoming.

Lawmaker Announces Plan To Build Next-Generation Coal-Fired Plant In Wyoming

A new coal-fired power plant hasn’t opened in the U.S. since 2013, but that’s about to change. A leading state legislator tells Cowboy State Daily that plans are in the works to build a next-generation coal and CO2 plant in Wyoming.

David MadisonMarch 06, 2025

Meier, Gray Believe Land Purchase In Washington Could Open Way For Coal Exports

In an effort to export Wyoming coal to the Pacific Rim, Treasurer Curt Meier and Secretary of State Chuck Gray believe purchasing land in Washington state could give Wyoming the legal standing to make it happen.

Renée JeanMarch 05, 2025

Nathan McLeland inspects a pumpjack on a stripper well in Weston County.

Wyoming Fights Biden Rule Some Say Tries To Price Out Oil And Gas Operators

Wyoming legislators have fought back against a Biden administration effort some say tries to price out oil and gas producers by hiking bond rates 1,400% and more. A $45 million pool of money will help those operators with their bonding.

Zakary SonntagMarch 04, 2025

Trump Says US Needs To Double Or Triple ‘Electrical Capacity,’ Wyoming Says It’s Ready

President Donald Trump held his first cabinet meeting Wednesday and suggested the country must double or triple its “electrical capacity.” Wyoming energy officials say they are ready to help make that happen.

Renée JeanFebruary 27, 2025

The micronuclear plants Radiant Industries wants to build will weigh 60 tons, but be small enough to be transported by semitrailer or air. They'll produce 1 megawatt of power, enough for industrial use or to power a 750-home development.

House Committee Kills Bill To Store Radioactive Waste In Wyoming

A House committee rejected a proposal Wednesday to build small nuclear power plants. Assurances that the legislation would not bring radioactive “green slime” to Wyoming weren’t enough to convince committee members.

David MadisonFebruary 19, 2025

Virginia Company Scouting Wyoming For Spot To Build Uranium Fuel Plant

Virginia-based BWX Technologies is not just looking to deploy small micro nuclear reactors in Wyoming. It’s scouting the state for possible sites to build a uranium fuel plant.

Renée JeanFebruary 19, 2025

Wind turbines in Carbon County, Wyoming.

Despite Chilly Climate, It’s Business As Usual For Wind, Solar Energy In Wyoming

Wind and solar energy projects in Wyoming are moving ahead with their projects, despite the recent chill from both federal and state lawmakers. Most of the projects are on private property, project managers say, which helps de-risk the projects.

Renée JeanFebruary 09, 2025

Christine Meadowcroft and her children posing with their new solar panels

Wyoming Family Learns Solar Panels Aren’t For The Faint Of Heart

A Happy Valley family who lives near Cheyenne found out the hard way that solar panels aren’t for the faint of heart. They do work, and they do defray energy costs, but there are a lot of headaches that go along with it. It helps if you have the patience of a saint.

Renée JeanFebruary 09, 2025

USGS Using A Helicopter Hula Hoop To See What's Buried Under Southeast Wyoming

The United States Geological Survey has started flying helicopters between 100 to 200 feet above the ground with a giant electromagnetic sensor to identify water, minerals and metals buried up to 1,500 feet underground in southeast Wyoming.

Andrew RossiFebruary 07, 2025

Bill Gates was in Kemmerer in June 2024 for a ceremonial groundbreaking for the TerraPower Natrium nuclear plant.

TerraPower Nuclear Training Center In Kemmerer Will Be One-Of-A-Kind In The World

The 35,000-square-foot nuclear training center TerraPower is building in Kemmerer, Wyoming, will be the only one of its kind in the world. Plans are for it to train all the company’s nuclear techs wherever in the world their Natrium reactors are.

Renée JeanFebruary 04, 2025

If Cow Belches Are So Bad, Why Didn’t The U.S. West's 60M Bison Kill The Planet?

If cow belches and farts are so bad, why didn’t the vast herds of 60 million bison roaming the U.S. West before the 1880s kill the planet? The nonprofit Western Justice wants to know, but science suggests they’re not comparable.

Andrew RossiJanuary 29, 2025

Kemmerer Officials Hope TerraPower Deal Could Attract AI Data Center

As Bill Gates-backed TerraPower continues building a first-of-its-kind nuclear plant in Kemmerer, Wyoming, it has struck a deal with the nation’s largest independent data center provider. Local officials hope that could lead to an AI data center there.

Renée JeanJanuary 22, 2025

Gillette, Wyoming-based Cycline Drilling operates a rig in the Powder River Basin.

Wyoming's Powder River Basin Sitting On Untapped Oil And Gas Potential

The oil and gas industry has been talking up the potential of the Powder River Basin for 20 years. Even so, Wyoming’s busiest play still only has about 11 rigs running. It’s going to take more than an oil-friendly administration to increase production.

Renée JeanJanuary 14, 2025

A field of discarded wind turbine blades.

Feds OK Wyoming Idea To Use Old Wind Turbines To Fill In Coal Mines

Wyoming’s innovative plan to allow coal mines to accept wind turbine blades as fill material has cleared the Biden administration, almost four years after the state approved it.