Power
Power and the grid
None energized or contracted yet
Xcel Energy grid serviceProposed, no agreement
total electrical demand reported by Capital & Main (press); the 334 MW IT figure sits inside it; no service agreement is on record News report · Oct. 2026
Proposed
Getting on the grid
Who supplies what, what it costs, and what is still not public.
- April 2, 2026Large-load tariff filedXcel proposes rules for customers of 50 MW or more: 15-year contracts, payment for their own transmission, substations and new generation, and financial security. State agency · Oct. 2026
- Oct. 2026Tariff hearingsA public comment hearing is reported for Oct. 20 and evidentiary hearings for Oct. 21 to 28; no decision yet. see Permits
- Not setService agreement: none publicNo electric service or interconnection agreement for this campus has been located. see Permits
- Under the proposed tariff, a load this size would pay for the transmission, substations and generation built to serve it. State agency · Oct. 2026
Permits
Permits checklist
2 pending · 1 granted · 3 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.
- ◷Site plan (administrative review) PendingCity of Aurora · Oct. 2026: third round of review; the mayor says preliminary approval was given, but no final approval document is on record News report · Oct. 2026
- ◷Large-load tariff (statewide, not specific to this campus) PendingColorado Public Utilities Commission · April 2, 2026: a utility rate and rules case, not a land-use approval; no decision as of Oct. 2026 State agency · Oct. 2026
- ✓Zoning GrantedCity of Aurora · Aug. 2025: data centers are a permitted use in the Airport District, so no hearing or council vote is required News report · Oct. 2026
- –Checked, nothing on file: Air construction permit for 28 backup generators, Electric service and interconnection agreements, Building permit, water and wetlands
Risks
What could slow it down
- HighMayor and council turning against itMayor Coffman says he will seek a public hearing and a no vote, and a vote on an indefinite data-center moratorium was called for Oct. 19, 2026. Rules passed so far exempt projects already in process. News report · Oct. 2026
- HighOrganized neighborhood oppositionNearly every attendee at a three-hour council comment session opposed the project, and the site is in a community the state classes as disproportionately impacted by pollution. News report · Oct. 2026
- MediumNo power contract yetService depends on a statewide large-load tariff still before regulators, and no electric service agreement for this campus is on record. see Permits
- MediumLitigation either wayKilling the project invites a Vantage suit; approving it invites a court challenge from residents. News report · Oct. 2026
Money
Money on record
$38.9M
city tax incentive, up to
over 10 years, paid annually only after Vantage reports meeting the tests; no clawback clause is public State agency · Oct. 2026
50 jobs
permanent-job floor for the incentive
at a minimum salary the coverage does not state; about 1,500 workers at peak construction (press) News report · Oct. 2026
50 MW+
customers who would pay for their own grid upgrades under the proposed tariff
15-year minimum contracts, minimum payments and financial security; not yet approved State agency · Oct. 2026
Timeline
What happened, and what is due
SitePaper trailConstructionPowerPermitsMoneyLegalUpcoming
- June 2025Money Aurora City Council approves a tax incentive agreement with Vantage worth up to $38.9M over 10 years News report · Oct. 2026
- Aug. 2025Permits Vantage submits its development application and site plan; no public hearing is required because a data center is a permitted use in the Airport District News report · Oct. 2026
- April 2, 2026Power Xcel Energy files a large-load tariff with the state utility commission, which would govern service to a load like this one State agency · Oct. 2026
- Aug. 10, 2026Permits Council votes 7-4 to write data-center rules and rejects a broader pause; projects already in process are exempt News report · Oct. 2026
- Sept. 22, 2026Legal About 150 residents attend a town hall against the project; a petition passes 2,500 signatures News report · Oct. 2026
- Oct. 2, 2026Legal Mayor Mike Coffman publicly commits to stopping the project and says he will seek a public hearing and a council no vote News report · Oct. 2026
- Oct. 12, 2026Permits Council unanimously bans evaporative cooling and removes data centers as a permitted use in one mixed-use district; neither rule applies to this project News report · Oct. 2026
- Oct. 2026Power Public comment hearing opens in the Xcel large-load tariff case; evidentiary hearings run Oct. 21 to 28 State agency · Oct. 2026
- Oct. 26, 2026Permits Fourth resubmittal of the site plan reported due (press) News report · Oct. 2026
The buildings
Specs
28 generators
diesel emergency units across the two buildings, plus battery storage; backup only
2,200 gallons a day
closed-loop cooling after an initial fill of 600,000 gallons (800,000 in one filing)
Who is involved
Owners, partners and builders
Owners and developers
- Vantage Data Centers: developer (Vantage Data Centers Management Company LLC is the applicant)
Power
- Xcel Energy (Public Service Company of Colorado): serving utility, proposer of the large-load tariff
Decision-makers
- City of Aurora (Mayor Mike Coffman, City Council): site plan, incentives and new rules
- Colorado Public Utilities Commission: large-load tariff
- Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment: air permit
Still unknown
Open questions
- A final site plan decision, and whether the mayor can force a hearing.
- An electric service agreement and in-service date.
- The tenant, if any.
- Outcome of the moratorium vote and the tariff case.
Where this comes from
128 records from 19 documents
Drawn from news reports, public and commercial datasets, state agency records, company statements, our own analysis, securities filings and utility regulator dockets, each kept with its date and source. The bar shows documents by type.
News report 13Dataset 3State agency 2Company 1Analysis 1SEC filing 1Utility regulator 1
Evidence
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 (24)
- large load interconnection request: Xcel Large Load Tariff filed Apr 2, 2026 - generally applicable, names no campus; Commission to decide Apr 29, 2026 whether to set for hearing and suspend the effective date by 120 day“On April 2, Xcel Energy filed a new 'Large Load Tariff' proposal, Proceeding No. 26AL-0137E, to address high-demand energy projects, such as large-scale data centers”Utility regulator · April 2026 · grade A
- Utility: Xcel Energy (Public Service Company of Colorado)“Xcel Energy submitted a proposal to the Colorado Public Utilities Commission today to address the growth in customers with large electricity needs, such as data centers”Company · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- large load tariff proceeding: filed - pending (not campus-specific)“On April 2, Xcel Energy filed a new Large Load Tariff proposal, Proceeding No. 26AL-0137E, to address high-demand energy projects, such as large-scale data centers”State agency · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- PSCo's proposed Schedule TL (Proceeding 26AL-0137E) would make a ~500 MW new load pay for its transmission, substations, interconnection upgrades and new generation, sign a contract of 15 years or more, make minimum mont“large-load customers (those requiring 50 MW or more) would be required to cover the costs of the specific transmission lines, substations, interconnection upgrades and new electric generation capacity needed to serve them”State agency · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- Utility: Public Service Company of Colorado (Xcel Energy) - electric utility serving Aurora; Xcel officials took part in the ward town hall on Aurora data centers and PSCo operates the 345 kV network nearest the site (onMeasured on OpenStreetMap map data.
- Nearest power line of 345 kV or more: 15.68 kmMeasured on OpenStreetMap map data.
- Nearest gas pipeline: 0.61 km (unnamed, operator not mapped)Measured on OpenStreetMap map data.
- Nearest substation of 345 kV or more: 16.88 kmMeasured on OpenStreetMap map data.
- Registry status: PRE-PERMIT. No CDPHE APCD air permit application filed yet (Oct 2026): APCD's environmental-justice process for the Aurora project expects Vantage to hold a community meeting BEFORE submitting the permit“The Air Pollution Control Division expects Vantage Data Centers Management Company, LLC to hold at least one community meeting before submitting the permit application”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Applicant entity: Vantage Data Centers Management Company LLC“the Air Pollution Control Division expects Vantage Data Centers Management Company, LLC to hold at least one community meeting before submitting the permit application”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- IT capacity: 334 MW“The current design calls for 334 megawatts of planned IT capacity, with a total electrical demand to power computer banks, as well as lights and other appliances, of about 500 megawatts”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Utility service: 500 MW“with a total electrical demand to power computer banks, as well as lights and other appliances, of about 500 megawatts”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Stated campus size: not stated“Planning documents quietly filed with the city of Aurora show two two-story buildings on the property that would equal 861,866 square feet combined”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- On-site generation: not stated“The Trident proposal also calls for 28 emergency diesel backup generators across the two planned buildings, Freeman said”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Backup generation: 28 generators“it's expected to have 28 emergency generators, as well as battery energy storage, Allen said”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Power plan: grid“with a total electrical demand to power computer banks, as well as lights and other appliances, of about 500 megawatts”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- The site sits in a census block designated disproportionately impacted: per state records cited by Capital & Main, nearby residents are exposed to more toxic air pollutants than 98 percent of the state's census tracts an“Its location in a half-built residential area in a census block disproportionately impacted by pollution highlights how the lack of rules for such developments largely leaves residents out”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Trident would be Vantage's first data center in Colorado; the company is headquartered in Denver. At ~500 MW total demand it would be the state's largest data center - about 11 times Denver International Airport's 45 MW,“The facility will be Vantage's first data center in Colorado, though the company is headquartered in Denver”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Project status: at risk“Neighbors near the proposed Trident (Vantage) data center urged the Aurora City Council to halt approvals and demand independent studies, citing an 860,000-sq-ft facility with 28 backup generators and as much as 500 MW of projected demand”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- IT capacity: 334 MW“The current design calls for 334 megawatts of planned IT capacity, with a total electrical demand to power computer banks, as well as lights and other appliances, of about 500 megawatts”News report · Sept. 2026 · grade C
- Utility service: 500 MW“with a total electrical demand to power computer banks, as well as lights and other appliances, of about 500 megawatts, said Mark Freeman, Vantage Data Center Inc.'s vice president of global marketing”News report · Sept. 2026 · grade C
- Backup generator count: 28 generators“The Trident proposal also calls for 28 emergency diesel backup generators across the two planned buildings, Freeman said”News report · Sept. 2026 · grade C
- Xcel Colorado system context (NOT this campus): Xcel's recently approved resource plan includes about 2,000 MW for high-use customers by 2031, and Xcel estimates new Colorado data centers will need around 2 GW by 2031 -“Xcel's recently approved plan for new energy resources includes about 2,000 megawatts for high-use customers by 2031”News report · April 2026 · grade C
- Interconnection status: Xcel Energy (Public Service Co. of Colorado) territory, WECC - no ISO; Load-study stage only: Vantage had completed a load study with Xcel as of CBRE's H1 2025 market report, without publishing a“Vantage Data Centers holds a site at 48th Avenue and E-470 and had completed a load study with Xcel as of CBRE's H1 2025 report, without publishing a megawatt figure”News report · June 2025 · grade C
Money and contracts (23)
- securitizers of record are Vantage Data Centers Holdings, LLC and Retained Vantage Data Centers, LP; The Management Company is also the applicant entity of record in this campus's tree entities file; NOT A COLLATERAL MAT“Vantage Data Centers Management Company, LLC (the “Company”) is responsible for the information provided to us, including the information set forth in the Statistical Data File”SEC filing · Oct. 2025 · grade A
- electric service agreement: existence finding“Large customers must execute Interconnection Agreements and Energy Service Agreements before they can receive electric service”Company · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- proposed tariff (Schedule TL): scope threshold 50 MW“large-load customers (those requiring 50 MW or more) would be required to cover the costs of the specific transmission lines, substations, interconnection upgrades and new electric generation capacity needed to serve them”State agency · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- proposed tariff (Schedule TL): term 15 years (minimum)“Requiring large customers to sign contracts of 15 years or more, ensuring they remain invested in the system they helped expand”State agency · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- proposed tariff (Schedule TL): minimum payment“Large customers contribute toward the cost of infrastructure constructed and available to serve them, even if load ramps up gradually”Company · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- proposed tariff (Schedule TL): termination“If a large customer exits service early, termination charges will recover remaining costs of project-specific upgrades built, avoiding stranded costs for other customers”Company · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- proposed tariff (Schedule TL): financial security“Financial security requirements add extra protection if a project is delayed, scaled back or not completed”Company · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- proposed tariff (Schedule TL): cost responsibility“large customers would pay for the power infrastructure needed to serve them. This includes covering electric transmission, substations and interconnection upgrades as well as paying for new electric generation”Company · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- Buildings: 2“Planning documents quietly filed with the city of Aurora show two two-story buildings on the property that would equal 861,866 square feet combined”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Building sq ft: 861866 sq ft“Planning documents quietly filed with the city of Aurora show two two-story buildings on the property that would equal 861,866 square feet combined”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Tenants: not stated“No tenant, customer or lease for the Trident campus is named in any source opened”grade C
- Tenant status: none found“No tenant, customer or lease for the Trident campus is named in any source opened”grade C
- Jobs permanent: 50 jobs“Vantage could receive up to $38.9 million in tax incentives over 10 years if the facility provides 50 jobs at a minimum salary level”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- First announced: June 2025“Vantage could receive up to $38.9 million in tax incentives over 10 years if the facility provides 50 jobs at a minimum salary level”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Tax incentives: up to $38.9M over 10 years (performance-based)“the incentives are given annually after the company submits a report showing they meet the requirements and if they have not been met, the incentives are not paid out”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- tax incentive agreement: scope 38900000 USD“Vantage could receive up to $38.9 million in tax incentives over 10 years if the facility provides 50 jobs at a minimum salary level”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- tax incentive agreement: term 10 years“Vantage could receive up to $38.9 million in tax incentives over 10 years”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- tax incentive agreement: jobs floor condition 50 jobs“Vantage could receive up to $38.9 million in tax incentives over 10 years if the facility provides 50 jobs at a minimum salary level”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- tax incentive agreement: payment condition“the incentives are given annually after the company submits a report showing they meet the requirements and if they have not been met, the incentives are not paid out”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- tax incentive agreement: termination“the incentives are given annually after the company submits a report showing they meet the requirements and if they have not been met, the incentives are not paid out”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- tax incentive agreement: clawback“the incentives are given annually after the company submits a report showing they meet the requirements and if they have not been met, the incentives are not paid out”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Announced: June 2025“Under an agreement with the city approved in June 2025, Vantage could receive up to $38.9 million in tax incentives over 10 years if the facility provides 50 jobs at a minimum salary level”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Total building sq ft: 861866 sq ft“Planning documents quietly filed with the city of Aurora show two two-story buildings on the property that would equal 861,866 square feet combined”News report · Sept. 2026 · grade C
Permits and government (19)
- Zoning: Airport District - data center is a permitted use (administrative approval)“in an industrial zone district, where data centers are a permitted use and can be approved administratively, so long as no major adjustments are requested”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Water initial fill: 800000 gallons“Planning documents the company filed with the city show one building would require 800,000 gallons initially”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Stage: at risk“must explore every available option, to include my calling the proposed Trident data center up for a public hearing and then asking the members of City Council for a 'no' vote to stop it from being built”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- site plan (development application): filed“A development application and site plan for the data center were first submitted in August 2025 and the project is on its third round of reviews, according to the city”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- site plan (development application): in review - preliminary approval reported by mayor“Coffman, in his Facebook post, said the project received preliminary administrative approval without a public hearing because a data center is a permitted use under the current zoning”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- air quality construction permit: pre-application - Environmental Justice Summary issued; application not yet submitted“the Air Pollution Control Division expects Vantage Data Centers Management Company, LLC to hold at least one community meeting before submitting the permit application”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- zoning text amendment: adopted (unanimous)“City council unanimously passed an ordinance that will keep data centers from being built in some areas”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- evaporative cooling prohibition: adopted (unanimous)“Council did unanimously approve a ban on evaporative cooling, which is a more water intensive cooling system used by some data centers”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Mayor Mike Coffman publicly committed to stopping the project: it must be stopped / must not go forward; he will call the site plan up for a public hearing and ask council for a no vote, regardless of any litigation Vant“must explore every available option, to include my calling the proposed Trident data center up for a public hearing and then asking the members of City Council for a 'no' vote to stop it from being built”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- The mayor called a special council meeting for Monday Oct 19, 2026 to vote on a proposed INDEFINITE data-center moratorium (FOX31 reporting, via an aggregator mirror - not opened). Scheduled only; not held as of 2026-10-“Aurora's mayor called a special council meeting for Monday to vote on a proposed data center moratorium, which would be indefinite”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Aurora's new data-center rules (the MU-OI zoning removal and the evaporative-cooling ban) apply to future projects only. The Sentinel states expressly that none of the regulations, including the cooling ban, would apply“None of the regulations, including the ban on evaporative cooling passed Monday, would apply to the Trident data center”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Aurora City Council: Tax incentive agreement with Vantage Data Centers (up to $38.9M over 10 years)“Vantage could receive up to $38.9 million in tax incentives over 10 years if the facility provides 50 jobs at a minimum salary level”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Aurora City Council: Data-center regulations resolution (Gardner) vs broader Wiles resolution with an indefinite development pause“The Aurora City Council voted 7-4 to approve a resolution to create data center specific regulations, and opposed another more broad resolution that would have included a pause on data center development”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Community town hall (Windler / Green Valley Ranch residents): Trident data center - opposition organizing“Neighborhood opposition has grown swiftly, with a local town hall on Sept. 22 drawing about 150 people, while a Change.org petition against the project has more than 2,500 signatures”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Aurora City Council: Public comment - hundreds of residents opposed the Trident data center“His post followed a City Council meeting last week during which hundreds of people living in neighborhoods near the site came out to decry the data center”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Aurora City Council: Trident public comment (3 hours, ~100 residents of The Reserve); evaporative-cooling ban; MU-OI zoning ordinance (Ord. 2026-51 per meeting summaries)“Aurora City Council meeting featured three hours of public comment opposing what would be Colorado's largest data center”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Mayor Mike Coffman declared the project 'must be stopped' and threatened to call it up for a public hearing and a council 'no' vote, accepting litigation risk“must explore every available option, to include my calling the proposed Trident data center up for a public hearing and then asking the members of City Council for a 'no' vote to stop it from being built”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Aurora City Council rejected a six-month data center moratorium (Aug 2026) and instead directed water-use and buffer-zone rules; an evaporative-cooling ban has since passed“The council voted against a six-month data center moratorium Wiles introduced in August. It instead approved a resolution giving the city manager 30 days to bring back measures to regulate water use”News report · Sept. 2026 · grade C
- Source record“the Air Pollution Control Division expects Vantage Data Centers Management Company, LLC to hold at least one community meeting before submitting the permit application to explain the project to the community”News report · Sept. 2026 · grade C
Legal (1)
- The mayor acknowledged the city faces litigation risk from the developer if it kills the project; Vantage's spokesman declined to answer whether the company might sue. Opposition consultants separately flag Rule 106(a)(4“The mayor said he would do this regardless of any litigation Vantage might level against the city”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
Site and other (18)
- County code: 08001“FCC census block find for latitude 39.7795 longitude -104.648 returned County FIPS 08001, name Adams County, block 080010083541000”Dataset · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- Name: Vantage Trident at Windler“The Trident Data Center, proposed by Vantage Data Centers Management Company LLC, is in an industrial zone district”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Aliases: Trident Data Center; Windler data center“The Trident Data Center, proposed by Vantage Data Centers Management Company LLC”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Address: 23001 E 48th Ave, Aurora, CO“the planned Trident data center, located at 23001 East 48th Ave in northeast Aurora”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Developer: Vantage Data Centers“city spokesperson Jennifer Soules said the city is working with the developer, Vantage Data Centers, to schedule a community meeting, but a date has not yet been set”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Site acres: 143 acres“The 143-acre project proposal is little known to residents in Aurora, Colorado's third-largest city”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Cooling system: closed-loop“would use a closed-loop system that would require one initial 600,000-gallon injection of water and 2,200 gallons a day as part of ongoing operations”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Water initial fill: 600000 gallons“would use a closed-loop system that would require one initial 600,000-gallon injection of water and 2,200 gallons a day as part of ongoing operations”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Water use daily: 2200 gal/day“require one initial 600,000-gallon injection of water and 2,200 gallons a day as part of ongoing operations”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Construction stage: none (site plan in administrative review; no construction)“A development application and site plan for the data center were first submitted in August 2025 and the project is on its third round of reviews, according to the city”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Original target date: 2028-Q4“The first phase of the project is scheduled to be online in the last quarter of 2028, with construction slated for completion in 2029, Allen said”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Current target date: 2028-Q4“The first phase of the project is scheduled to be online in the last quarter of 2028, with construction slated for completion in 2029, Allen said”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Jobs construction peak: 1500 jobs“the project will employ roughly 1,500 people at peak construction”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Setback ft: 350 ft“the facility will have setbacks which will provide at least a 350-foot buffer from homes, as well as a brick wall and water-wise landscaping surrounding the property”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Environmental justice: Site is in a disproportionately impacted community (DIC) census block“Its location in a half-built residential area in a census block disproportionately impacted by pollution highlights how the lack of rules for such developments largely leaves residents out”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Organized opposition formed within weeks of residents learning of the project (early Sep 2026, about a year after the filing): a Sep 22 town hall drew about 150 people and a Change.org petition passed 2,500 signatures; a“Neighborhood opposition has grown swiftly, with a local town hall on Sept. 22 drawing about 150 people, while a Change.org petition against the project has more than 2,500 signatures”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Environmetrika, a resident-retained consultant, filed a formal analysis with the City Manager urging rejection of the site plan, arguing UDO section 146-5.4.3 bars approval without empirical proof that adverse impacts ar“the City Manager is legally prohibited from approving a Site Plan unless the developer empirically proves that adverse impacts on adjacent residential neighborhoods are fully mitigated”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Site acres: 143 acres“The 143-acre project proposal is little known to residents in Aurora, Colorado's third-largest city”News report · Sept. 2026 · grade C