Utah’s fragile desert could feel like the Sahara if America’s biggest data center gets built
Plans for a massive data center in rural Utah have sparked significant public and political backlash. The Stratos Project, backed by Kevin O'Leary, would consume more electricity than the entire state currently uses and could drastically increase carbon emissions. Concerns about water usage and environmental impact have led to calls for clearer standards and accountability from state leaders.
- ▪The Stratos Project would span 40,000 acres and demand 9 gigawatts of power upon completion.
- ▪It is estimated that the project could raise Utah's carbon emissions by 64 percent.
- ▪Public outcry has led Governor Spencer Cox to reconsider his support for the project.
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Leia Larsen Regional Reporter, Utah Published May 18, 2026 Topic Climate + Business Share/Republish Copy Link Republish Copy Link Email SMS X Facebook Republish Reddit LinkedIn Bluesky This coverage is made possible through a partnership between Grist and The Salt Lake Tribune, a nonprofit newsroom in Utah. Plans for a celebrity-backed “hyperscale” data center in rural Utah, so massive that it would consume more than double the state’s current electricity use, have generated an intense public and political backlash in a state where the motto is “industry” and a Republican supermajority tends to be deferential to development.
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