UPDATE 1 — American Electric Power to invest $4 billion in fuel cell project to power Google

(Adds details throughout) Oct 14 (Reuters) — American Electric Power said on Wednesday it plans to invest about $4 billion in a 702-megawatt fuel cell project near Cheyenne, Wyoming, to supply Alphabet's Google under a 20-year power purchase agreement. Technology companies are seeking new sources of electricity to meet rising demand from data centers and artificial intelligence, as grid capacity and slow build-out of new infrastructure constrain supply. The project will be developed by Cheyenne Fuel Cell, which is about 92% owned by AEP, with the remaining stake held by funds advised by Basalt Infrastructure Partners. Construction is expected to begin in 2026, with full operations expected by the end of 2028. The facility will use fuel cell technology developed by Bloom Energy to provide on-demand electricity for Google's growing energy needs in the Cheyenne area. (Reporting by Dharna Bafna in Bengaluru; Editing by Vijay Kishore) ((Dharna.Bafna@thomsonreuters.com)