Residents furious as Utah approves datacenter twice the size of Manhattan
6 hours ago
- #Environmental Impact
- #Public Backlash
- #AI Infrastructure
- The Stratos AI datacenter project in Utah, spanning over 40,000 acres, has sparked public backlash due to its massive energy and water demands, threatening the Great Salt Lake ecosystem.
- It is projected to consume about 9GW of power—more than Utah's current total—and significantly increase water usage, raising environmental concerns amid severe drought conditions.
- Backed by Kevin O'Leary, proponents argue it will create jobs and boost U.S. competitiveness in AI, but critics warn it could raise state pollution by 50% and significantly heat the local area.
- Local opposition has led to thousands of objections, contentious meetings, and a referendum effort to reverse approval, with accusations of project manipulation to skirt public disapproval.
- Governor Spencer Cox has intervened, requiring the project not to harm the Great Salt Lake or raise power bills, and mandating phased development with future reviews.