Enbridge and Meta Expand Partnership with $1.2 Billion Cowboy Solar and Storage Project in Wyoming

Enbridge is developing the Cowboy Project near Cheyenne, Wyoming, a $1.2 billion solar-plus-storage development combining 365 megawatts of solar generation with a 200 megawatt, 1,600 megawatt hour battery energy storage system to support Meta's data centre operations. The project expands Enbridge's partnership with Meta, which now totals approximately 1.6 gigawatts of contracted capacity across North America including the Clear Fork Solar, Easter Wind and Cone Wind projects in Texas. The first phase of the Cowboy Project is expected to enter service by the end of 2027, representing one of the larger utility-scale solar-plus-storage installations supporting United States data centre growth.

 

Project Structure and Delivery Mechanism

 

Power from the Cowboy Project will be delivered to Meta through Cheyenne Light, Fuel and Power under Wyoming's Large Power Contract Service tariff, a dedicated mechanism that allows the utility to provide market and renewable energy options to large-load customers without impacting retail electricity rates. The battery storage capacity is contracted under a long-term tolling agreement with CLFP under the same tariff framework, with Tesla supplying and servicing the battery systems. This marks the first project procured by Meta through CLFP's large-load tariff, establishing a new procurement pathway that could support further data centre clean energy development in Wyoming.

Marne Jones, Senior Vice President and Chief Utility Officer at Black Hills Corporation, CLFP's parent company, said the Large Power Contract Service tariff provides flexibility in serving large-load customers, enables speed to market and provides customer protections. The tariff structure is significant because it creates a ring-fenced mechanism through which data centre operators can contract renewable energy and storage capacity without cross-subsidising or burdening residential and commercial retail customers. This model addresses a growing concern in states experiencing rapid data centre development that large industrial loads could drive up electricity costs for ordinary consumers.

 

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The Role of Battery Storage in Grid Reliability

 

The 1,600 megawatt hour battery system plays a central role in ensuring energy can be stored and discharged when the grid needs it, enabling more flexible and responsive energy delivery for large-scale digital infrastructure. Allen Capps, Enbridge's Senior Vice President of Corporate Strategy and President of its Power business, said that by integrating utility-scale solar with battery storage the company is delivering reliable, scalable energy solutions that support Meta's data centre operations while strengthening grid performance. The dispatchable nature of the combined solar and storage system distinguishes it from standalone solar installations that can only generate during daylight hours.

Amanda Yang, Head of Clean and Renewable Energy at Meta, said the partnership is committed to supporting projects that add new energy to the grid while strengthening reliability in data centre communities. She described the 1,600 megawatt hour battery system paired with 365 megawatts of solar as delivering flexible, reliable power that benefits the broader grid alongside Meta's data centre operations. The emphasis on grid-wide benefits alongside direct supply to Meta reflects the growing expectation among regulators and communities that hyperscale data centre clean energy procurement should contribute to grid resilience rather than simply meeting private consumption needs.

 

Enbridge's Growing Power Portfolio

 

The Cowboy Project adds a major new Wyoming asset to Enbridge's power portfolio, which already includes the 600 megawatt Clear Fork Solar, 152 megawatt Easter Wind and 300 megawatt Cone Wind projects in Texas, all contracted with Meta. The combined Meta partnership now represents approximately 1.6 gigawatts of contracted capacity across multiple states and technology types, providing geographic and technology diversification that reduces concentration risk within the portfolio. The Cowboy Project's integration of solar and storage also advances Enbridge's strategic capability in delivering dispatchable clean energy as the company expands its Power business alongside its core pipeline operations.

The $1.2 billion investment commitment demonstrates the capital intensity of utility-scale solar-plus-storage development at this scale and the financial depth required to compete effectively in the hyperscale data centre clean energy market. Enbridge's established balance sheet and project finance capabilities provide a competitive advantage in securing and delivering projects of this magnitude. The company's disciplined approach to expanding its power portfolio, as described by Capps, reflects an intent to grow selectively around long-term contracted relationships with creditworthy counterparties rather than pursuing speculative merchant development.

 

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Outlook for Hyperscale Clean Energy in Wyoming

 

The Cowboy Project represents a significant addition to Wyoming's renewable energy landscape, a state that has historically been associated with coal and natural gas extraction but is increasingly attracting utility-scale clean energy development. The availability of strong solar and wind resources, land for development and a supportive large-load tariff framework creates favourable conditions for further renewable energy investment alongside growing data centre demand in the Cheyenne area. Continued development of similar projects could substantially expand Wyoming's clean energy capacity while creating construction employment and long-term tax revenue for the state.

Whether the Cowboy Project model can be replicated further across Wyoming and neighbouring states will depend on the continued development of large-load tariff frameworks, grid connection availability and the pace of data centre expansion in the Mountain West region. Sustained execution by Enbridge and Meta would establish Cheyenne as a meaningful node in the emerging geography of renewable-powered AI infrastructure across the western United States. The convergence of strong clean energy resources, supportive utility tariff structures and hyperscale data centre growth creates conditions in which additional investment in Wyoming's renewable energy sector is likely to follow.

 

Source: Enbridge