Wyoming UFO sightings persist above power plant for 13 months
Sheriff says drone-like lights hover over the Jim Bridger Power Plant and Red Desert; authorities see no current danger but continue to monitor mystery
For more than a year a steady stream of lights has hovered above the Jim Bridger Power Plant in Sweetwater County, Wyoming, perplexing residents and prompting ongoing inquiries by local authorities. Sheriff John Grossnickle has said the sightings have persisted for about 13 months, with the most recent observations reported on December 13, according to his spokesman, Jason Mower. The sheriff's office has pursued a range of avenues to identify the objects, but officials say they have not yet found an explanation.
Observers have described the objects as lighted and drone like. The sightings occur high above the earth, thousands of feet up, far beyond the range of any ground based weapon. Local officials indicate that there have been no incidents or safety concerns so far, and the office has not received recent calls about the events. The objects have been a regular feature above both the power plant and the adjacent Red Desert region, according to authorities.
Residents have grown accustomed to the unusual displays; the sheriff s office has gradually reduced contact calls as the sightings continue and no threat materializes. The spokesman described the situation as the new normal, with the objects remaining in the same general area above the power station and the Red Desert.
Context from the wider region includes a wave of drone reports in New Jersey last year that sparked mass concern. A private contractor later claimed at a U.S. Army summit at Fort Rucker that the observed activity had been launched to test capabilities under a private government contract. The claim circulated by media outlets has not been independently verified by authorities in Wyoming, but it has fed the broader national conversation about unmanned aircraft activity and public safety.
State officials note that the pattern in Wyoming sits against a backdrop of statewide monitoring. Between November 19 and December 13, 2024, the Office of Emergency Management logged about 964 sightings of flying objects across the state, underscoring the breadth of interest and the public appetite for explanations.
Federal aviation authorities have weighed in previously, with officials attributing many sightings to a mix of lawful drones, manned aircraft, and misidentified stars. After a period of restrictions, authorities warned that drones that pose an imminent security threat could be met with deadly force. The FAA s handling of the matter reflects the broader national debate over drone use and airspace safety during a period of rapid growth in unmanned aircraft activity.
Public opinion about the mystery has circulated in media outlets as well. An exclusive poll by DailyMail.com and J.L. Partners found that roughly 45 percent of Americans believed the activity was more than routine drone use, with about 26 percent of that group suspecting foreign surveillance. The poll also showed a spectrum of beliefs, from normal hobby activity to government surveillance and even alien vehicles, illustrating the uncertain public mood on these sightings.
Officials in Sweetwater County say there is no current danger and that they will act if safety is threatened. For now, the mystery persists above the Jim Bridger Power Plant and the surrounding desert, with authorities continuing to monitor the situation while avoiding speculation about the origin of the objects.