Wyoming just approved the $1.1 billion Laramie Range Wind Project, though one permit condition could redraw the turbine map. The Industrial Siting Council signed the permit on Monday with 26 conditions. The wind farm lives up to the fine print, Repsol says.
After two days of public comment, Aug. 31 through Sept., the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality approved. 1. There are 26 conditions on the permit: 18 are general conditions for any wind facility, and 8 are specific to this site. One of those eight now dictates everything. Trump is more of advocating for nuclear and gas-fired power projects such as the Centrus Uranium enrinchment plant.
Scope of the approved Laramie Range Wind Project
Repsol affiliate ConnectGen Laramie County is developing 139 turbines on 41,220 acres. The site is located on Farthing Ranch Co. and state parcels approximately 20 miles northwest of Cheyenne. The farm produces 650 megawatts at full capacity, which is the equivalent of the power consumption of about 200,000 Wyoming homes.
The build is divided into two parts. Phase one provides 400 megawatts, while phase two provides the remaining 250. Construction is to begin no later than the fourth quarter of 2027 and will last for 24 months. Both phases should operate by the end of 2029. The existing 345-kilovolt Ault to Laramie River line will be the path for power to enter the Tri-State transmission system.
Local money is important. Over 35 years, Repsol has paid approximately $194 million in property and production taxes. The construction project also creates 300 jobs and 23 permanent positions. Cheyenne will seek approximately $700,000 in impact assistance via the state process.
Why the setback condition stings
This is the rubbing. Repsol settled the 2.5-mile residential setback to protect one neighbouring ranch, Horse Creek Cattle Co. During the hearing, however, council members expanded it to include all homes occupied on all sides of the project. This condition led the company to withdraw its county applications and revise the site plan, developer Anne Gregory said.
Gregory said his engineering team is still working on the effects of that, but it doesn’t make it unworkable. There are other places to put the turbines.
Changing the condition will not be easy. A formal amendment request must be made by Repsol with public notice, and all parties to the original proceeding are notified. The council then weighs it at a quarterly meeting. The additional conditions were requested by state agencies and landowners, said Industrial Siting administrator Jenny Staeben.
Challenges facing the Laramie Range Wind Project
The county battle remains to be fought. In September 2025, Laramie County commissioners voted 3-1 against the original plan, which was 170 turbines on 56,000 acres. Repsol reduced the design and went the other way, the state route. Despite this, the state permit does not affect the county level.
The withdrawn county application remains dead. Order is set by planning director Justin Arnold: “Settle state issues first. Then Repsol begins all over again, with the conditional use permit and public hearings. Gregory is planning to re-file early next year, but the company has not set a date.
However, the developer is optimistic. Gregory said it’s not impossible, and they are in talks with the state and county. “All is well, all is well.”
So the process goes: rework the layout, explain the setback, and then go back to face Laramie County in 2027. The $1.1 billion question is whether the turbines still fit after all that.
Project Overview: Laramie Range Wind Project
- Project Value: $1.1 billion capital investment
- Location: 20 miles northwest of Cheyenne
- Developer: ConnectGen Laramie County (Repsol)
- Status: State permit approved Oct 2026
Scope
- 139 turbines across 41,220 acres
- 650 MW total generating capacity
- Phase one: 400 MW
- Phase two: 250 MW
Project Highlights
- Powers roughly 200,000 Wyoming homes
- $194 million taxes over 35 years
- 300 construction jobs, 23 permanent
- Connects to Tri-State 345 kV line
Key Developments
- County denied project September 2025
- Design cut from 170 turbines
- Council approved permit after two-day hearing
- Setback condition applied project-wide
Key Challenges
- 2.5-mile residential setback reworks layout
- Amendment needs formal request and notice
- County approval process must restart
- County hearings return early 2027
Outlook
- Construction begins by late 2027
- 24-month build window
- Both phases operational by end 2029
- Repsol may clarify setback scope first
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