Why It Matters
Rural Wyoming communities are fronting hundreds of thousands of dollars for emergency services and infrastructure to support incoming industrial projects—only to be left waiting years for reimbursement when developers delay construction. The issue highlights growing tensions between energy development promises and local government budgets.
What Happened
Mills and Natrona County spent over $323,000 on emergency equipment to prepare for the Dinosaur Solar Energy Project, expecting about 1,000 construction workers. The purchases included a new ambulance costing $268,000 and a command vehicle for $55,000. The expenses were supposed to be covered through a state program that provides advance payments based on future sales and use taxes from the developer.
The 440-megawatt solar farm was originally scheduled to start construction in 2024. After a change in ownership to NextEra Energy Resources, the construction date was pushed to March 2025. The developer recently delayed the project again—this time until 2029—and reduced the facility’s size to 240 megawatts.
Mills Mayor Leah Juarez told the Legislature’s Joint Minerals, Business and Economic Development Committee that her community now faces waiting until March 2029 for reimbursement, if it comes at all. She called the current structure fundamentally backwards.
By the Numbers
- $268,000 spent on a new ambulance for Mills
- $55,000 spent on a command vehicle
- 2,000 acres designated for the solar farm
- 39 industrial projects currently in various stages of development across Wyoming
- 3-year delay in the latest construction postponement
Zoom Out
Wyoming is experiencing a surge in large-scale energy development proposals. The state’s Industrial Siting Council, which previously averaged about one permit application per year, now has 39 projects in different stages of development, including wind and solar facilities. Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality Director Todd Parfitt confirmed the dramatic increase in activity.
Another recent case involves the Settler Wind Project in Converse County, where the developer in February secured approval to delay its construction start date from August 2025 to November 2027. Local officials say it has become difficult to determine which projects are speculative versus serious commitments.
Natrona County Commissioner Dave North argued that developers should post significant financial bonds soon after receiving permits and before construction begins. That would place the financial risk on companies rather than on state and local governments when projects get delayed.
What’s Next
The legislative committee directed staff to draft two bills for consideration at its next meeting in June. One measure would require developers to post a bond shortly after receiving an industrial siting permit, with qualifying communities receiving pre-construction payments based on estimated tax revenue. A second bill would exempt projects within existing coal and trona mining districts and established industrial parks, based on the assumption those communities already have necessary infrastructure in place.
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