‘Irresponsible’: backlash as Utah approves datacenter twice the size of Manhattan
Summary
Utah approved a large datacenter project called Stratos, which will cover over 40,000 acres and use more power than the entire state currently consumes. The decision has caused strong public concern due to the datacenter's expected high energy use and large water consumption in a drought-affected area.Key Facts
- The Stratos datacenter will cover 62 square miles in Box Elder County, Utah.
- It will require about 9 gigawatts of power, more than Utah’s current total electricity use.
- The project will consume a large amount of water in a state experiencing severe drought.
- Environmentalists warn it could harm the Great Salt Lake ecosystem and bird habitats.
- Critics say the project could increase Utah’s pollution by about 50%.
- Cooling the facility may raise local temperatures by several degrees Fahrenheit.
- Kevin O’Leary, a venture capitalist, supports the project, citing job creation and competing with China in AI development.
- Nearly 4,000 people have formally opposed the project, leading to public protests and heated meetings.
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