The approval of a massive datacenter in rural Utah has ignited a fierce backlash from local residents, who fear the development will exacerbate water shortages and drive up energy costs. The Stratos project, backed by venture capitalist Kevin O'Leary, would span 40,000 acres and double the state's energy consumption.
Local Opposition and Environmental Concerns
Community members have voiced strong opposition at public meetings, citing threats to the shrinking Great Salt Lake and rising power bills. Ecologist Ben Abbott noted the intense emotions, saying, 'We've seen threats and verbal abuse and fear and anger over this. We do need to cool the temperature.'
AI's Growing Thirst for Resources
Datacenters across the US are proliferating to support artificial intelligence, with water use projected to reach 73 billion gallons by 2028. Most rely on gas-powered energy, adding to greenhouse gas emissions. The Stratos development alone would raise Utah's emissions by about 50%.
In Louisiana, a Meta datacenter would require 10 gas-fired power plants to produce 7.2 gigawatts of electricity, equivalent to the annual consumption of 5.7 million homes.
Bipartisan Backlash and Political Implications
The grassroots revolt against datacenters is unusually bipartisan, posing a threat to politicians like Donald Trump who support AI expansion. Utah's Republican leadership has called for downsizing Stratos and assured voters of environmental and economic safeguards.
This controversy raises broader questions about resource management in an era of climate change and drought. As tools like ChatGPT become common, the environmental cost of AI must be weighed against its benefits.
