8legs: Stratos

#1 out of 1

‘Irresponsible’: backlash as Utah approves datacenter twice the size of Manhattan

Utah county approves the Stratos datacenter project spanning over 40,000 acres in Box Elder County, prompting backlash.
Officials say the facility could require about 9GW of power, exceeding Utah's current total consumption.
Critics warn the datacenter will draw significant water in a drought-affected region.
Environmental groups say the project could threaten the Great Salt Lake ecosystem.
Governor Cox urged standards to ensure the lake and energy costs are not harmed by the project.
Protesters and local groups filed a referendum plan to overturn the approval.
Developers withdrew a water-diversion application but plan to refile under new rules.
Supporters claim the project will create thousands of jobs and bolster U.S. AI competitiveness.
Local groups accuse out-of-state influence and paid protesters, which supporters deny.
Public meetings and objections persisted despite county approval.

Vote 0