Utah data-center plan sparks clash over water, jobs and environment

The Stratos Project, a proposed 9-gigawatt data center slated for roughly 20,000 acres in Utah’s Hansel Valley, has ignited a battle between industry advocates and environmentalists. Investors including "Shark Tank" figure Kevin O’Leary tout the venture as a source of 2,000 permanent jobs, a boost to the state tax base and a contribution to U.S. national-security AI efforts, fitting Governor Spencer Cox’s aim of 20 GW of capacity by 2034.

Opponents such as Grow the Flow and Mineral Resources International argue the facility will worsen water scarcity in a region already suffering from the Great Salt Lake’s decline, citing a family business that lost lake water a decade ago. A preliminary analysis by Utah State University professor Robert Davies estimates the plant’s waste heat could raise daytime temperatures by 2-5 °F and nighttime by 8-12 °F if powered by natural gas.

Developers claim water will be drawn from deep underground wells and have secured about 3,000 acre-feet of rights, while critics have lodged formal protests over water quality and quantity. The controversy helped unseat Senate President Stuart Adams and two Box Elder County commissioners in recent primaries, reflecting voter backlash against the project.