Added as denied
LEX Portneuf Data Center (former Hoku Materials plant, denied)
Lex Developments. Denied. 200 MW.
Lex Developments proposed converting the shuttered Hoku Materials polysilicon plant on 49 acres on the west side of Pocatello into a data center of seven 100,000 square foot buildings, a roughly 2.26 billion dollar, 200 megawatt project. The Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, whose Fort Hall Reservation is nearby, opposed the plan on ceded land, and hundreds of residents turned out to a May 2026 public hearing before the city's hearing examiner denied the project, citing the developer's failure to show it would not harm community health and safety. Lex Developments appealed, and the Pocatello City Council upheld the denial in July 2026; Bannock County separately adopted a 180 day moratorium on data center permits on July 30, 2026.
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- Status
- Denied
- Operator
- Lex Developments
- Applicant on record
- Lex Developments
- Location
- Pocatello, Bannock County, ID (approximate, city center)
- Size
- 200 MW, 49 acres, 700,000 sq ft
- Cooling
- Not reported
- Utility
- Idaho Power
- First reported
- 2026-05
- Last updated
- September 24, 2026
What happens next
This proposal will not move forward as filed, but the land it was proposed on can be proposed again under a new project. See other stopped projects.
Sources
- City denies $2.6 billion data center, but developer vows to appeal, BoiseDev, 2026-07-20
- First Nation opposes plan for AI data center in Pocatello, Idaho, Data Center Dynamics
- Another large Idaho data center proposed, valued at $2 billion+, BoiseDev, 2026-05-14
- Hundreds show up for public hearing on proposed AI data center, East Idaho News, 2026-05
What it would mean nearby
The cooling design has not been reported. If it uses evaporative cooling, a 200 MW facility would draw roughly 634,000 to 2.3 million gallons of water a day, about what 7,300 households use.
For how far this is from your own address, check it here. For a noise, water, and power bill estimate for one address, see the address report.
History
Common questions
Where is the LEX Portneuf data center?
It is in Pocatello, Bannock County, ID.
Has the LEX Portneuf data center been approved?
No. A local government denied it.
How big is the LEX Portneuf data center?
Reported size: 200 MW, 49 acres, 700,000 square feet.
Is it near you?
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