Power and the grid
None energized or contracted yet · 1,000 MW permitted
- Battery storage Planned1.1 GWh of grid-forming batteries in the equipment agreement Company · Aug. 2025
- Natural gas supply County approval pendingJoule would build its own 24-inch pipeline from Holden to McCornick; Kern River is the referenced interconnect (press) Local government · May 2026
Getting on the grid
Who supplies what, what it costs, and what is still not public.
- Aug. 7, 2025Power agreement announcedJoule, Caterpillar and Wheeler Machinery announce a deal to power the campus with gas engines and batteries. Company · Aug. 2025
- Feb. 5, 2026Equipment order claimedJoule says 1.7 GW of Caterpillar equipment is on firm order, with first delivery due in March 2026 (company claim, single source). Company · Feb. 2026
- May 7, 2026Gas pipeline hearingThe county planning commission hears Joule's request to build its own 24-inch gas pipeline and forwards a recommendation. Local government · May 2026
- Sept. 11, 2026Air permits issuedUtah air regulators issue approval orders for five of the six plants. see Permits
- Not setUtility service: noneThe campus is designed to run off-grid. No Utah utility docket or service agreement was found. see Permits
- The county pipeline decision is the main open item for fuel supply; the planning commission's recommendation is not a decision. Local government · May 2026
- Company target was gigawatt-scale capacity in 2026; no operating capacity is on record. Company · Aug. 2025
- No plant for this campus appears in EIA's federal generator inventory (EIA-860M, Aug. 2026). That inventory covers grid-connected plants only, so an off-grid plant may not be listed yet. State agency · Oct. 2026
On-site generation on file
- Generator maker and model: Caterpillar G3520K Company · Aug. 2025
Evidence from space
NO2 over the site, net of the rural background, was about the same in July–September 2026 (3 µmol/m²) as a year earlier (3), and the rural background stayed flat (14 and 15). The satellite sees no new combustion large enough to stand out here. On record here: On-site gas engines (Caterpillar G3520K), 1,000 MW, permitted; Natural gas supply, proposed. No rise fits a plant that is not running yet, or runs little; it does not prove either.
What else could explain it
- Cities, highways, oil and gas fields and power plants in or near the box also emit NO2. Comparing the same months a year apart removes steady sources; a new source nearby would not cancel.
- Weather moves NO2 from day to day (wind, sunlight, cloud), and it builds up in winter. Subtracting the background box and comparing the same season a year apart removes most of that.
How this works: the Sentinel-5P satellite measures NO2 in the air over every point on Earth once a day, around 1:30 p.m. local time, in pixels about 5.5 by 3.5 km. NO2 comes from burning fuel (turbines, engines, traffic, power plants), so a rise over a site that open country does not share points to new combustion there. It shows combustion activity, not megawatts. The site box is about 15 km across; the background box is open country about 73 km away. We use only high-quality readings and drop days or weeks when cloud hides more than half of either box. Data: Copernicus Sentinel-5P (ESA), processed with the Copernicus Data Space Ecosystem Sentinel Hub statistics service.
Permits checklist
2 pending · 3 granted · 1 checked, nothing on file
Approvals a campus like this normally needs (including an air permit for backup or on-site generators), and what we found.
- ◷Gas pipeline development agreement PendingMillard County · May 7, 2026: planning commission heard it and forwarded a recommendation; commission decision not on record Local government · May 2026
- ◷Final site plans PendingMillard County · Feb. 18, 2026: press said final site plans and some permits were still pending in Feb. 2026 News report · Feb. 2026
- ✓Rezoning to heavy industrial GrantedMillard County Commission · Aug. 5, 2025: about 4,000 acres, unanimous (press) News report · Aug. 2025
- ✓Conditional use permit GrantedMillard County Commission · Sept. 17, 2025: approved with 21 conditions, including water-use metering (press) News report · Sept. 2025
- ✓Air permits, Sites 2 to 6 GrantedUtah Division of Air Quality · Sept. 11, 2026: five approval orders; no record for a Site 1 State agency · Oct. 2026
- –Checked, nothing on file: Utility service and grid approval
What could slow it down
- HighNo named tenantThe company says signed customers exist but names none, and no tenant can be verified. News report · Dec. 2025
- HighFuel supply not securedThe campus runs on gas it does not yet have a county-approved way to get; the pipeline agreement is undecided. Local government · May 2026
- MediumThin fundingOnly $63M has been raised against a build that would cost billions, and no state or county incentive was found. Company · Feb. 2026
- MediumLocal oppositionResidents raised water, noise, traffic and farmland concerns, and press calls opposition a schedule risk; no lawsuit was found. News report · Feb. 2026
- WatchOne plant unpermittedAir approvals cover Sites 2 to 6; no record exists for Site 1. State agency · Sept. 2026
Money on record
Not on record: state or county incentives: a neighboring campus received up to $172M in Utah incentives in May 2026 (press) State agency · Oct. 2026
What happened, and what is due
- Permits County Commission decision on the gas pipeline agreement; no date published Local government · May 2026
- April 28, 2025Paper trail Joule Capital Partners LLC registered in Utah
- July 7, 2025Permits Joule files its first air-permit notice for Site 2; the other sites follow on July 29 State agency · Oct. 2026
- Aug. 5, 2025Permits Millard County rezones about 4,000 acres to heavy industrial (press) News report · Aug. 2025
- Aug. 7, 2025Power Joule, Caterpillar and Wheeler announce a 4 GW power agreement for the campus Company · Aug. 2025
- Sept. 17, 2025Permits County Commission approves the conditional use permit with 21 conditions (press) News report · Sept. 2025
- Nov. 1, 2025Construction Groundbreaking reported on the 4,000-acre site (press) News report · Nov. 2025
- Jan. 2026Money Joule closes a $60M Series B Company · Feb. 2026
- Feb. 5, 2026Power Joule launches its BetterGrid platform and says 1.7 GW of engines are on order Company · Feb. 2026
- May 7, 2026Permits County planning commission hears Joule's request for its own 24-inch gas pipeline Local government · May 2026
- Sept. 11, 2026Permits Utah air regulators approve five of six planned plants State agency · Sept. 2026
Satellite captures by quarter
Since March 2022: 68 satellite captures. The chart starts in the first quarter of 2023; 4 earlier records are not drawn.
Specs
Owners, partners and builders
- Joule Capital Partners, LLC: developer (formed Apr. 28, 2025)
- Brock Andrus: co-CEO
- David Gray: president
- Mark McDougal: partner and spokesman; part-owner of the landowner
- Triple C Farms: landowner
- Caterpillar: generator and battery supplier
- Wheeler Machinery: Utah Caterpillar dealer, installation and service
- Kern River Gas Transmission: referenced gas interconnect (press)
- Clear Lake Investments and Foulger Pratt: led the $60M Series B
- Millard County Commission and Planning Commission
- Utah Division of Air Quality
Open questions
- Whether the county approves the gas pipeline.
- Any named tenant or lease.
- How much of the campus is actually under construction.
- Who supplies capital beyond $63M.
- 1 unconfirmed county land record near the site: the buyer or location could not be tied to this campus.
229 records from 23 documents
Drawn from news reports, state agency records, local government records, business registries, satellite captures, company statements, public and commercial datasets, utility regulator dockets and our own analysis, each kept with its date and source. The bar shows documents by type.
Every quote behind this page
Grade key: A = the primary record itself (permit, filing, exhibit) · B = a dated official statement · C = news reporting. Map distances are our own measurements on OpenStreetMap and carry no grade. Allegations in lawsuits are marked as such in the quotes.
Power (33)
- Gas lateral: 24-inch natural gas transmission pipeline, Holden to McCornick, under county Legislative Development Agreement application Z-2026-026 (PC hearing May 7, 2026; final commission decision not located)“to allow the construction, operation, and maintenance of a 24-inch natural gas transmission pipeline and associated appurtenances”Local government · May 2026 · grade A
- Nearest power line: 1.30 km (unnamed)Measured on OpenStreetMap map data.
- Nearest power line of 230 kV or more: 6.15 km (Pavant - Sigurd, 230 kV)Measured on OpenStreetMap map data.
- Nearest substation: 4.42 km (unnamed)Measured on OpenStreetMap map data.
- Nearest gas pipeline: 12.29 km (unnamed)Measured on OpenStreetMap map data.
- Power plants within 5 km: 4.55 km (Pavant Solar II)Measured on OpenStreetMap map data.
- Nearest water feature: 11.93 km (unnamed stream)Measured on OpenStreetMap map data.
- Nearest data center: none within 50 km on the mapMeasured on OpenStreetMap map data.
- Utility: none (self-supply“No Joule docket at Utah PSC; positive-control searches return Rocky Mountain Power and Enbridge Gas Utah dockets (e.g. 25-035-47, 26-057-06)”Utility regulator · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- On-site generation: 1000 [E] MW“Approval Order Issued: 2026-09-11 (five Joule Capital Partners, LLC sites, #2-#6); ~1000 MW total is the press-reported sum of six-plant applications”State agency · Sept. 2026 · grade B
- Aliases: Joule Power; Joule BetterGrid (platform name)“Joule Launches BetterGrid Platform: AI-Ready Data Center Infrastructure with Industry-Leading Speed to Market”Company · Feb. 2026 · grade B
- IT capacity: not disclosed MW“Joule has already secured 1.7 GW of Caterpillar power-generation equipment (all published MW figures are generation/total energy, none are IT load)”Company · Feb. 2026 · grade B
- On-site power technology: reciprocating engines (CCHP) + 1.1 GWh grid-forming BESS + SCR aftertreatment“inclusive of base-load and backup generators, switchgear, inverters, SCR units, and BESS systems”Company · Feb. 2026 · grade B
- Role of the on-site plant: prime (off-grid behind-the-meter; N+2 design)“The BetterGrid platform includes N+2 behind-the-meter power designed to support modern AI clusters”Company · Feb. 2026 · grade B
- Equipment order status: firm order claimed: 1.7 GW of Caterpillar equipment secured, in production, first delivery scheduled March 2026 (company claim, single-source)“behind-the-meter power generation equipment on firm order and already in production”Company · Feb. 2026 · grade B
- Power plan: onsite (self-supply; no grid interconnection)“By developing behind-the-meter, independent energy systems”Company · Feb. 2026 · grade B
- Water use stated: 10,000 acre-feet/yr senior groundwater rights held; closed-loop cooling; company claims ~75% less water than farming the same acreage“4,000 acres of entitled land, 10,000 acre-feet of senior water rights, and direct natural gas interconnections”Company · Feb. 2026 · grade B
- BetterGrid launch: 1.7 GW of Caterpillar equipment on firm order and in production; first delivery scheduled March 2026; campus 'currently leasing'“Every component of the BetterGrid is either purchased, permitted or actively under construction”Company · Feb. 2026 · grade B
- On-site generation: 4,000 MW“This initiative will provide four gigawatts of total energy to the center of the Intermountain West.”Company · Aug. 2025 · grade B
- Generator maker and model: Caterpillar G3520K“Powered by a fleet of Caterpillar's latest G3520K generator sets and support equipment, the distributed generation system produces electricity and captures waste heat to power and cool next-generation, high-density server systems.”Company · Aug. 2025 · grade B
- On-site generation: 4,000 MW“This initiative will provide four gigawatts of total energy to the center of the Intermountain West”Company · Aug. 2025 · grade B
- Generator maker and model: Caterpillar G3520K“Powered by a fleet of Caterpillar's latest G3520K generator sets and support equipment”Company · Aug. 2025 · grade B
- Cooling: closed-loop liquid (direct-to-chip) with CCHP waste-heat absorption; propylene glycol loop per local press“integrated combined cooling heat and power (CCHP) solutions with a by-design liquid cooling architecture”Company · Aug. 2025 · grade B
- Joule / Caterpillar / Wheeler power agreement announced for 4 GW Utah campus“announced an agreement to power Joule's High Performance Compute Data Center Campus in Utah”Company · Aug. 2025 · grade B
- Generating units on the permit: 69 units“In rural Millard County southwest of Salt Lake City, a company is planning to install more than 400 natural gas-fired engines to produce power for a 4,000-acre data center.”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Stage: early construction; air-permitted for ~1 GW of 4 GW stated; entitlements incomplete and only $63M equity raised - high execution risk“Assessment: 5 air AOs issued 2026-09-11; CUP/site-plan items pending into 2026; $3M + $60M raised vs multi-billion-dollar build; no named tenant”grade C
- Neighbouring Creekstone Energy campus (Delta Gigasite) received up to $172M in Utah state incentives - Joule has no equivalent state award found, an asymmetry worth tracking“Utah awards up to USD 172m in incentives for USD 17bn, 10 GW Creekstone data center project”News report · May 2026 · grade C
- Generating units on the permit: 69 gensets per plant; 6 plants planned (414 engines); 5 plants permitted units“early plans pair each of six buildings with 69 Caterpillar natural-gas generators”News report · Feb. 2026 · grade C
- Gas supplier: Kern River Gas Transmission (planned interconnect referenced in county minutes via DCF)“A planned pipeline interconnection (with county minutes referencing the Kern River system and Trellis citing nearby gas infrastructure)”News report · Feb. 2026 · grade C
- Emissions stated: initial six-plant phase ~4,380 t/yr regulated pollutants excl. CO2 (~1,380 t/yr NOx) per DAQ applications via Trellis; Oil & Gas Watch cites up to 5.2M t/yr GHG“the initial six-building phase could emit approximately 4,380 tons per year of regulated pollutants (excluding CO2), including roughly 1,380 tons annually of nitrogen oxides”News report · Feb. 2026 · grade C
- Interconnection status: none - closed private generation / self-supply by design (queue power secured=none): sponsor identified as Joule Capital Partners - the Joule Energy and Data Center Campus on 4,000 acres near Hold“No substations, no towering smoke stacks, no overhead transmission lines”News report · Dec. 2025 · grade C
- Phasing as reported: the initial phase is 1 GW of power from dozens of gas generators plus a battery storage system (six initial sites; 69 Caterpillar G3520K engines per building per the project record), within the annou“The initial phase will include 1 gigawatt of power from dozens of gas generators and a battery storage system to level out electricity.”News report · Dec. 2025 · grade C
- Moved from campus facts field 'expansion claim': site could scale to 12 GW per company statements (Trellis) - aspirational, not permitted MW.“The site could potentially scale up to 12 GW - or about triple Utah's total power supply”News report · Dec. 2025 · grade C
Money and contracts (11)
- development agreement (legislative): scope construction, operation and maintenance of a 24-inch natural gas transmission pipeline and associated appurtenances, Holden area to McCornick area, primarily across private land“Consideration of a legislative Development Agreement (a land use decision of a legislative nature) to allow the construction, operation, and maintenance of a 24-inch natural gas transmission pipeline”Local government · May 2026 · grade A
- development agreement (legislative): status Planning Commission heard the application May 7, 2026 and forwards a recommendation; County Commission decision at a future hearing - final outcome not located as of Oct. 18, 2026“The Planning Commission will receive public comment and forward a recommendation to the Millard County Board of County Commissioners, which will consider the Development Agreement in a future public hearing”Local government · May 2026 · grade A
- Financing: Series A $3M (2025); Series B $60M closed January 2026, led by Clear Lake Investments and Foulger Pratt USD“After closing a $3 million Series A in 2025, the company secured $60 million in a January Series B financing round led by Clear Lake Investments and Foulger Pratt”Company · Feb. 2026 · grade B
- power and equipment agreement: equipment order status (updated claim) 1.7 GW of Caterpillar generation equipment secured; firm order; in production; first delivery scheduled March 2026 (Joule claim, Feb 2026; supersedes“Joule has already secured 1.7 GW of Caterpillar power-generation equipment, with the first delivery scheduled for March”Company · Feb. 2026 · grade B
- Joule closed $60M Series B led by Clear Lake Investments and Foulger Pratt (after $3M Series A in 2025)“the company secured $60 million in a January Series B financing round”Company · Feb. 2026 · grade B
- Announced: Aug. 7, 2025“Joule Capital Partners, Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT), and Wheeler Machinery Co. today announced an agreement”Company · Aug. 2025 · grade B
- power and equipment agreement: scope 4 GW of total energy; G3520K genset fleet; CCHP; prime power for High Performance Compute Data Center Campus“announced an agreement to power Joule's High Performance Compute Data Center Campus in Utah”Company · Aug. 2025 · grade B
- power and equipment agreement: storage 1.1 GWh grid-forming BESS“The solution includes 1.1 gigawatt hours of grid forming battery energy storage”Company · Aug. 2025 · grade B
- power and equipment agreement: service and support Caterpillar and Wheeler provide service and support; uptime and availability targets“Caterpillar and Wheeler will also provide service and support for the products and solutions, ensuring uptime and availability targets are met”Company · Aug. 2025 · grade B
- Phases: initial phase 6 buildings/plants (Sites #1-#6); entitlement discussions up to 32 buildings of ~1M sq ft each“entitlement discussions including as many as 32 buildings of roughly one million square feet each”News report · Feb. 2026 · grade C
- Tenant status: claimed signed customers, unnamed under NDA (company partner statement via Trellis) - no tenant verifiable“Citing non-disclosure agreements, McDougal declined to name signed customers, saying they include major tech companies”News report · Dec. 2025 · grade C
Permits and government (23)
- air permit (Approval Order): NOI received“Joule Capital Partners, LLC- Site #2 Data Center | N162900001 | NOI Received 2025-07-07”State agency · Oct. 2026 · grade A
- air permit (Approval Order): Approval Order issued“Approval Order Issued: 2026-09-11”State agency · Oct. 2026 · grade A
- air permit (Approval Order): NOI received“Joule Capital Partners, LLC- Site #3 Data Center | N162910001”State agency · Oct. 2026 · grade A
- air permit (Approval Order): Approval Order issued“Approval Order Issued: 2026-09-11”State agency · Oct. 2026 · grade A
- air permit (Approval Order): NOI received“Joule Capital Partners, LLC- Site #4 Data Center | N162920001”State agency · Oct. 2026 · grade A
- air permit (Approval Order): Approval Order issued“Approval Order Issued: 2026-09-11”State agency · Oct. 2026 · grade A
- air permit (Approval Order): NOI received“Joule Capital Partners, LLC- Site #5 Data Center | N162930001”State agency · Oct. 2026 · grade A
- air permit (Approval Order): Approval Order issued“Approval Order Issued: 2026-09-11”State agency · Oct. 2026 · grade A
- air permit (Approval Order): NOI received“Joule Capital Partners, LLC- Site #6 Data Center | N162940001”State agency · Oct. 2026 · grade A
- air permit (Approval Order): Approval Order issued“Approval Order Issued: 2026-09-11”State agency · Oct. 2026 · grade A
- Utah DAQ issued Approval Orders for Joule Sites #2-#6 (five of six planned plants); no Site #1 record“Approval Order Issued: 2026-09-11”State agency · Sept. 2026 · grade A
- development agreement: public hearing held; recommendation to County Commission“PUBLIC HEARING for a DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT—Application # Z-2026-026 ... requested by Joule Capital Partners for a proposed 24-inch natural gas pipeline project between Holden and McCornick”Local government · May 2026 · grade A
- County process opened for Joule's own 24-inch gas pipeline (Development Agreement Z-2026-026) - gas supply depends on a Joule-built lateral from the Holden area“a proposed 24-inch natural gas pipeline project between Holden and McCornick”Local government · May 2026 · grade A
- Millard County Planning Commission: Public hearing and possible recommendation - Legislative Development Agreement application Z-2026-026 (Joule 24-inch natural gas pipeline, Holden to McCornick); item 13: Discussion onl“PUBLIC HEARING for a DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT—Application # Z-2026-026 for a Legislative Development Agreement requested by Joule Capital Partners”Local government · May 2026 · grade A
- Opposition: resident concerns at July 2025 hearing (water, noise, traffic, housing, farmland loss); environmental-group scrutiny (UPHE, Utah Clean Energy via press); no Joule-specific lawsuit or petition found“Community opposition is emerging as a material variable that could influence schedule and scope”News report · Feb. 2026 · grade C
- Construction stage: clearing / early works - ground broken Nov 2025; final site plans and some CUPs still pending as of Feb 2026 reporting“Although groundbreaking was held in November 2025, final site plans and key conditional use permits remain pending at the time of publication”News report · Feb. 2026 · grade C
- Conditions of approval: C-2 CUP amendment approved with 21 conditions incl. water-use metering and reporting to the county and compliance with state water-engineer requirements“approved a C-2 conditional use permit amendment for a data center campus with 21 conditions (applicant spelled 'Jewel Capital Partners LLC' in this secondary summary)”News report · Sept. 2025 · grade C
- conditional use permit: approved with conditions“The Millard County Commission approved a C-2 conditional use permit amendment for a Jewel Capital Partners data center campus with 21 conditions”News report · Sept. 2025 · grade C
- Millard County Commission: C-2 conditional use permit amendment - Joule data center and on-site power generation campus“The Millard County Board of Commissioners voted to approve a C-2 conditional use permit amendment for a data center and on-site power generation campus proposed by Jewel Capital Partners LLC”News report · Sept. 2025 · grade C
- Rezoning date: Aug. 2025 (week of Aug 5)“A re-zoning request to pave the way for the project was approved by the Millard County Commission during the week of 5 August”News report · Aug. 2025 · grade C
- zoning (zone change): approved“A re-zoning request to pave the way for the project was approved by the Millard County Commission during the week of 5 August”News report · Aug. 2025 · grade C
- Millard County Commission: Rezoning requests for Joule Capital Partners and Creekstone Energy campuses“Both projects received unanimous approval from the Millard County Commission”News report · Aug. 2025 · grade C
- Millard County (public meeting on zone change): Zone change for ~4,000 acres of agricultural land near 11000 N McCornick Road to Heavy Industrial“Public records from Millard County show Joule pursuing a zone change for approximately 4,000 acres, converting agricultural land near 11000 N McCornick Road to Heavy Industrial use”News report · July 2025 · grade C
Legal (1)
- Groundbreaking date: Nov. 2025“broke ground in November on a 4,000-acre campus northwest of Fillmore in Millard County (also reported by Trellis and Data Center Frontier)”News report · Feb. 2026 · grade C
Site and other (10)
- Parcel ID nearby: F-7000-3 (150 N 1100 W, Fillmore) under the 8.0 ha industrial polygon; F-6968-2 under the 0.9 ha industrial polygon“Millard County parcel IDs at adjacent industrial polygons”State agency · Oct. 2026 · grade A
- Address: Unincorporated Millard County near W 11000-11700 N and McCornick Rd, Fillmore, UT 84631 (DAQ site addresses)“Site #5: Northwest Corner of West 11000 North 4866 County Rd, Fillmore, UT 84631”State agency · Sept. 2026 · grade A
- Developer: Joule Capital Partners, LLC“Joule Capital Partners, LLC- Site #2 Data Center”State agency · July 2025 · grade A
- Data-center buildings on the map: 0Measured on OpenStreetMap map data.
- Parcel ID: 5313-1“Millard County Parcels FeatureServer/0 point query at the DEQ NOI Site 2 anchor (39.20994,-112.35811) on 2026-10-19 returns parcel 5313-1 (account 5372; ownership type Private; ZIP 84624; ~82.5 ha); the layer carries no owner-name field, so the parcel owner cannot be verified from this layer”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- County code: 49027“Millard County, Utah FIPS 49027”grade B
- Acres: 4000 acres“super-compute-ready campus spanning 4,000 acres in Central Utah”Company · Aug. 2025 · grade B
- Current target date: 2026 - initial gigawatt-scale capacity (company target; unverified)“campus spanning 4,000 acres in Central Utah, set to launch with gigawatt capacity in 2026”Company · Aug. 2025 · grade B
- Community opposition emerging as a material schedule variable (DCF); Utah lawmakers pursuing data-center water-use reporting (Rep. Koford bill noted in local press)“Community opposition is emerging as a material variable that could influence schedule and scope”News report · Feb. 2026 · grade C
- Groundbreaking held on the 4,000-acre campus northwest of Fillmore (reported by Sanpete Messenger, Trellis, DCF)“broke ground in November on a 4,000-acre campus northwest of Fillmore in Millard County”News report · Nov. 2025 · grade C