Project Thunderbird
Enid, Garfield County, OK
- Rumored
- Proposed
- Approved
- Under construction
- Operating
Follow this project
New dated changes arrive in your feed reader or calendar. No account, no email address, no tracking.
- RSS feed for any feed reader
- Atom feed
- Hearings calendar (.ics, subscribes in Apple, Google or Outlook Calendar)
Project Thunderbird is a data center and power generation development announced in September 2026 by Plainsmen Holdings LLC, a partnership of four Enid natives, across four campuses in Enid. It includes plans for on-site natural gas power generation of up to 3.3 gigawatts and would cool the data centers with raw water from the Kaw Lake pipeline in a closed-loop system. The developers say it could also provide backup power to Vance Air Force Base; the City Commission approved rezoning for two of the four potential campuses on Oct. 27, 2026. The developers estimate up to $35 billion in capital investment and about 2.75 gigawatts of IT power at full capacity.
- Permanent jobs (promised)
- 600
- 'more than 600' once completed
Key facts
Size & schedule
| IT load | 2.75 GW [5] stated as about 2.75 gigawatts of IT power at full capacity across four campuses, per developer Chad Dillingham Source excerpt“At full capacity, the project would include four campuses with about 2.75 gigawatts of information technology power and 3.3 gigawatts of behind-the-meter power generation, according to Dillingham.” |
|---|---|
| Site size | 1,652 acres [1] approximately, across four campuses; other outlets report 1,735 acres Source excerpt“The proposed Project Thunderbird development would encompass approximately 1,652 acres across four campuses in Enid and includes plans for an on-site power generation facility of up to 3.3 gigawatts” |
| Site size | 1,735 acres [3] figure reported by other outlets; conflicts with 1,652 acres in Enid News & Eagle Source excerpt“said their project, still in its early stages, would take up 1,735 acres of land and it would involve behind-the-meter electricity generation.” |
| Stated investment | $35 billion [5] developer estimate, 'up to' Source excerpt“Developers estimate Project Thunderbird could represent up to $35 billion in capital investment.” |
| Permanent jobs (promised) | 600 [5] 'more than 600' once completed Source excerpt“Mack said the project could create up to 4,000 construction jobs during development and more than 600 permanent jobs once completed.” |
| Construction jobs | 4,000 [5] 'up to 4,000' during development Source excerpt“Mack said the project could create up to 4,000 construction jobs during development and more than 600 permanent jobs once completed.” |
How big is that? Data center sizes compared with football fields and Central Park.
Power
| On-site generation | 3.3 GW [1] stated as up to 3.3 gigawatts Source excerpt“The on-site power generation facility would be designed to provide up to 3.3 gigawatts enabled through a partnership with a major natural gas midstream energy provider.” |
|---|---|
| On-site generation type | On-site natural gas-fueled generation, behind the meter, via partnership with a natural gas midstream energy provider [1]Source excerpt“The on-site power generation facility would be designed to provide up to 3.3 gigawatts enabled through a partnership with a major natural gas midstream energy provider.” |
Water
| Water source | Raw water from the Kaw Lake pipeline [1] |
|---|---|
| Cooling | closed-loop [1] |
Figures are as stated by the cited source. Where sources disagree, each figure is shown.
Water and power
Water
Not disclosed. No source reviewed gives a water figure for this site. The Census does not estimate one.
Disclosed figures only, each as the cited source states it. Many are projections or permit limits, not metered use. How data center water and power use is measured, and every disclosed figure →
Timeline
Plainsmen Holdings announces Project Thunderbird [2]
A large crowd, most of it opposed to Project Thunderbird, fills the Enid City Commission meeting [4]
The City Commission's Oct. 6 hearing on the three rezoning requests is moved to a special meeting at a larger venue, so more of the public can attend [7]
Enid's Metropolitan Area Planning Commission recommends approval of the related comprehensive plan amendment by a 6-3 vote [7]
At a special meeting the City Commission approves all three rezoning requests and the plan amendment, 6-1; emergency clauses did not pass. Two areas move from agricultural to heavy industrial and a third partly to industrial, covering two of the four potential campuses [7]
Issues raised
- Vance Air Force Base and the Department of the Air Force were briefed on the project, but no formal agreements or memorandums of understanding were signed [3]
- The developers say the project would bring revenue without raising taxes or utility bills for residents [2]
Issues are concerns and claims raised by the parties, officials or residents named in the cited sources. They are reported as attributed, not as findings by the Census.
Sources
- UPDATED: Enid natives announce local data center, power generation projectEnid News & Eagle · Sep 8, 2026 · news
- Project Thunderbird to Bring Data Center, Power Corridor to Garfield CountyFreedom 96.9 · Sep 8, 2026 · news
- Massive data center campus unveiled for EnidOklahoma Energy Today · Sep 9, 2026 · news
- Data center opponents outnumber supporters at commission meetingEnid News & Eagle · Sep 16, 2026 · news
- Proposed Enid data center project could bring $35 billion investmentNews 9 · Sep 8, 2026 · news
- Project ThunderbirdCity of Enid · government
- Project Thunderbird (rezoning schedule and results)City of Enid · Oct 27, 2026 · government
- City Commission passes Project Thunderbird rezoning requests in special meetingFreedom 96.9 · Oct 28, 2026 · news
- Proposed Project Thunderbird data center in Enid faces rezoning delay after item canceledKOKH FOX 25 · Oct 6, 2026 · news
Cite this page
Last updated Nov 5, 2026. Figures may change as records are updated — include the date you retrieved them.
| APA | Data Center Census. (2026). Project Thunderbird. Retrieved from https://datacentercensus.com/dc/project-thunderbird-enid-ok |
|---|---|
| MLA | “Project Thunderbird.” Data Center Census, Nov 5, 2026, https://datacentercensus.com/dc/project-thunderbird-enid-ok. |
| Link | https://datacentercensus.com/dc/project-thunderbird-enid-ok |
Republishing a figure or table? Attribute it to Data Center Census with a link to this page. The underlying data is downloadable as JSON and CSV; the press kit has standing figures and contact details.