Energy | Cowboy State Daily

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

John Bear Thinks Micro Plants Could Help Wyoming Coal, Create Power Autonomy

State Rep. John Bear is promoting the development of micro coal-fired power plants to serve Wyoming communities across the state. It’s a concept he says could help stabilize coal, attract industry and create power autonomy.

Leo WolfsonDecember 17, 2024

Tata Chemicals trona mine and facility in Green River, Wyoming.

Wyoming Trona Mine Closer To Being Powered By 8 Tiny Nuclear Reactors

Tata Chemicals announced Friday that it has signed a new letter of intent for using up to eight nuclear microreactors to power its Green River trona operation. Tata is the first company in the U.S. to pursue small-scale industrial nuclear power.

Leo WolfsonDecember 13, 2024

Uranium Energy Corp. has bought Rio Tino's Wyoming assets, which includes its uranium production facility in Sweetwater County. Above is a view of the control room.

Uranium Energy Corp. Finalizes $175M Buyout Of Wyoming Processing Plant

Uranium Energy Corp. has finalized a $175 million buyout of Rio Tinto’s Wyoming assets, which includes its Sweetwater County processing plant. The sale gives Uranium Energy the nation’s largest production capacity of uranium.

Renée JeanDecember 09, 2024

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

China’s Ban On Rare Earth Exports Good News For Huge Wyoming Projects

China issued a ban Tuesday on exporting to the U.S. critical rare earth minerals for semiconductors, infrared, fiber optics and military explosives. But representatives of Wyoming’s huge rare earths projects say the ban is good news for them.

Renée JeanDecember 04, 2024

The site about 20 miles southwest of Green River could produce 6 million tons of soda ash and sodium bicarbonate a year.

Turkish Company Offers $285 Million To Buy Interest In Huge Wyoming Trona Mine

Sisecam, a Turkish company, is offering $285 million to buy out a minority stake in one of Wyoming’s huge new trona mines.

Renée JeanDecember 02, 2024

Coal trains leaving the Powder River Basin in northeast Wyoming full and returning empty.

BLM Outlaws Coal In Powder River Basin; Gordon Says Prepare For A Fight

The BLM has made it official Tuesday — it’s ending new coal leases in the Powder River Basin, with an eye to producing no more coal after 2041. Gov. Mark Gordon says those are fighting words.

Renée JeanNovember 27, 2024

Bill Gates-Backed TerraPower Strikes Deal To Get Laser-Enriched Uranium

Bill Gates-backed TerraPower and the nuclear plant it's building in southwest Wyoming have secured another potential source of uranium. It’s struck a deal to get laser-enriched uranium.

Renée JeanNovember 24, 2024

FE Warren missiles out front Unknown 2 7 11 24

F.E. Warren Air Force Base Exploring Geothermal Power To Boost Resiliency Against Catastrophe

Cheyenne’s F.E. Warren Air Force Base, which houses the nation’s nuclear missiles, is exploring geothermal energy to build up the military base’s resiliency. Geothermal power could ensure the base is functional, even if the overall power grid goes down.

Renée JeanNovember 23, 2024

Idle wind turbines line the horizon on northeast of Casper and just outside the Evansville limits. The have not turned for at least three years.

14-Year-Old Casper Wind Farm Has Not Turned A Blade In At Least 3 Years

The 11 wind turbines on the northeast side of Casper once represented the region’s first step into renewable energy. Now, some say they are an eyesore that has idled for at least three years.

Dale KillingbeckNovember 20, 2024

A coal train is loaded at a Wyoming coal mine in this file photo.

Wyoming Coal Jobs Down Nearly 8% Over Last Nine Months, 25% Since 2017

Wyoming’s coal workforce is down nearly 8% over the last nine months. And since 2017, there are 25% fewer people working coal jobs.

Greg JohnsonNovember 20, 2024

A shovel fills a haul truck at the North Antelope Rochelle mine in northeast Wyoming.

Barring “A Miracle,” Wyoming Coal Will Miss 200M Tons For First Time Since 1992

Wyoming is on track to miss producing 200 million tons of coal for the first time since 1992. “Short of a miracle,” that’s what’s going to happen, says one of the nation’s leading energy economists.

Greg JohnsonNovember 17, 2024

A pair of pronghorn graze near a southeastern Wyoming solar farm in this file photo. Natrona County officials are considering a 2,000-acre solar farm and battery storage facility.

Natrona County Planners OK 2,000-Acre Solar Farm West Of Casper

A proposal to put a 2,000-acre solar farm and battery storage facility west of Casper was OK’d by Natrona County Planners on Tuesday. The 199 MW facility with 100 MW of storage would be on private ranch land.

Dale KillingbeckNovember 14, 2024