Massive data center could increase Utah’s carbon emissions by 50%

A colossal data center project, dubbed "Stratos," is slated for an unincorporated site in Box Elder County, Utah, and includes plans for a natural gas power plant capable of generating 9 gigawatts of electricity—more than double the state's current consumption. While developers claim the campus will not impact the power grid or utility bills, University of Utah atmospheric sciences professor Kevin Perry estimates it could increase Utah's carbon dioxide emissions by over 50%, alongside smaller increases in nitrogen oxide and PM2.5, raising significant environmental concerns. The project's swift approval process has ignited commotion among northern Utah residents, who have packed Box Elder County Commission meetings to voice concerns about natural resource use and the lack of a definitive environmental impact analysis. Celebrity investor Kevin O'Leary, a sponsor of the proposal, refers to it as "Wonder Valley," sharing a name with a similar project in Canada. A public demonstration is being planned ahead of the commission's rescheduled vote. Unlike typical requests, the Stratos project is navigating an approval process through the Military Installation Development Authority (MIDA), an entity established by the Utah Legislature to foster economic development with a military focus. Paul Morris, MIDA's executive director and general counsel, highlighted the site's strategic advantages, such as proximity to the Ruby natural gas pipeline and redundant fiber, while assuring commissioners that the data center would generate its own energy and minimize water use through a closed-loop system. Utah Governor Spencer Cox has vociferously supported the project, asserting that building data centers is a national security imperative in the age of machine learning and artificial intelligence. During a recent news conference, Governor Cox dismissed concerns about the rushed approval process and stated that Utah has an obligation to allow such developments, arguing that denying the project would mean an inability to build anywhere and hinder the nation's technological progress.