9 GW Utah, 40,000‑acre data centre approved despite local backlash

A 40,000‑acre data centre project in Box Elder County, Utah, was approved despite local opposition; the hyperscale facility, partly backed by Shark Tank investor Kevin O’Leary, is expected to consume 9 gigawatts when fully built — more than double Utah’s current statewide usage of about 4 gigawatts ¹.

The decision highlights broader tensions as companies race to build energy‑intensive AI infrastructure, touching off fights over grid capacity, utility bills and environmental impact ¹. A Pew Research Center survey found 43% of Americans cite data centres as a major reason for rising home energy costs, with similar concerns across party lines ¹.

In Georgia, multibillion‑dollar data‑centre developments have provoked bipartisan backlash: Politico reported that 47% of local voters oppose planned projects, turning data centres into a campaign issue in some local races ¹.

Communities and local officials say they fear strain on resources and higher prices, while proponents frame projects as economic drivers. Those competing arguments — and the scale of projects such as the Utah site — suggest data‑centre expansion will remain a flashpoint in states facing AI‑driven growth ¹.