Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon recently signed an executive order designed to steer the expansion of data centers and advanced computing in the state. Known as “Data Centers the Wyoming Way,” the order focuses on how state agencies should handle permitting, regulation, and support for large-scale projects while balancing water consumption, environmental impacts, workforce development, and household electricity costs.
This move places Wyoming at the center of a growing national competition to build infrastructure for artificial intelligence and the digital economy. Gordon emphasized that the state is in a strong position to lead as demand for advanced computing surges.
The timing is significant because major tech companies—Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft—are projected to spend around $650 billion on AI and data center infrastructure in 2026. That level of investment is driving pressure on power grids nationwide, and Wyoming aims to attract a share while implementing safeguards around resource use.
The order also intersects with the Bitcoin mining industry, which has already been active in Wyoming due to its energy resources, available land, and supportive digital asset regulations. CleanSpark, for example, secured power contracts and acquired its first mining site in the state in 2024, adding 30 megawatts of capacity initially and planning further expansion.
Beyond mining, many Bitcoin miners are diversifying into AI and high-performance computing hosting. Companies like IREN, MARA Holdings, Cipher Digital, Hut 8, HIVE Digital, and TeraWulf are now marketing their power access and data center capabilities for these purposes. Bernstein analysts have even started covering some miners as infrastructure firms rather than pure crypto producers.
Although the order does not explicitly target Bitcoin miners, it creates a framework that affects how all energy-intensive data operations compete for power and land. The rules may shape future approvals and how mining firms, AI companies, and data center developers interact in the state.