Box Elder County Commission approves hyperscale data center in Utah

The Box Elder County Commission in Utah recently approved a "hyperscale" data center, expected to be one of the largest of its kind, despite considerable public outcry. Over a thousand people protested at the commission meeting, and 25,500 public comments were submitted online, expressing concerns about the project's proximity to the Great Salt Lake and its substantial water and energy demands. Critics noted that the data center would not be subject to drought restrictions and could consume twice Utah's state energy consumption within 10 years, comparable in size to cities like Concord or Cary, North Carolina. Kevin O'Leary, a Shark Tank investor, was identified as one of the investors behind the Utah project. The discussion during the commission meeting became so heated that commissioners temporarily left the room. This development is part of a broader national conversation, with other cities in North Carolina, including Charlotte, grappling with similar issues. Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles recently cast a tie-breaking vote to table a discussion on a proposed data center in West Charlotte, citing a lack of sufficient research and information. Meanwhile, other North Carolina cities are implementing moratoriums on data center construction to gather more data, and a vote on an East Charlotte data center is anticipated in mid-May.