‘Irresponsible’: backlash as Utah approves datacenter twice the size of Manhattan

Utah has approved a plan for the Stratos artificial intelligence datacenter, which will span over 40,000 acres (62 sq miles) across three sites in Box Elder County. The facility will require approximately 9GW of power, exceeding the entire state's current energy consumption, and will significantly impact water supplies in a drought-stricken area. This project has sparked public backlash due to concerns over its energy use and water consumption.