Utah Data Center News

May 12, 2026 · InfoWest

Rose Village Community Lit Up With InfoWest Fiber

InfoWest has announced the launch of InfoWest Fiber service in Cedar City’s Rose Village community with a limited-time introductory offer.

Main announcement: InfoWest is now offering fiber service in the Rose Village community (Cedar City) with an introductory rate of $45/month for 12 months, taxes, equipment, and fees included; after the first year the price is $55/month. The offer is for new customers and includes local tech support and installation services.
Background and logistics: InfoWest states it has already connected many neighbors and emphasizes local support, detail-oriented installers, and a hassle-free sign-up-to-installation process. Residents can sign up online at infowest.com or call 435-238-7803; the announcement appears promotional (limited-time introductory rate) rather than a regulatory or policy declaration.

May 11, 2026

Utah’s Wonder Valley and the Industrialization of AI Infrastructure

MIDA approved a development agreement on April 24, 2026 for the Stratos Project Area organized by O’Leary Digital Utah Development Company and branded to the market as Wonder Valley.

Main announcement & specifics: The development agreement approved by the Military Installation Development Authority (MIDA) formalizes the Stratos Project Area as a planned integrated AI infrastructure campus: ~40,000 acres private land plus ~1,200 acres of military/state parcels, Phase 1 ≈ 3 GW on-site generation with full buildout reported at 7.5–9 GW, and on-site fuel access via the 680-mile Ruby Pipeline; Box Elder County approvals were still pending as of April 27, 2026.
Background, approvals, taxes & revenues: The project is positioned as a self-powered campus (MIDA description) with tax incentives including reducing the energy-use tax from 6% to 0.5% and an 80% rebate of property tax revenue to O’Leary Digital; officials projected ~$30 million/year for Box Elder County during the initial phase, >$100 million/year at full buildout, and ~$250 million/year in state sales tax receipts tied to the data centers. No anchor hyperscaler has been publicly identified.

May 6, 2026

Climate Change Solutions - May 5, 2026

EESI will host a briefing with American Rivers on May 7 about U.S. water infrastructure challenges and solutions.

Briefing with American Rivers on May 7: EESI and American Rivers will hold a briefing titled Policies and Financing Solutions to Modernize U.S. Water Infrastructure on Thursday, May 7, 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m., at the Rayburn House Office Building Gold Room (Room 2168) and online; agenda includes U.S. water infrastructure challenges, solutions to close the investment gap, and discussion of the January 2026 Potomac River sewer collapse that discharged 200 million gallons of raw sewage.
- Location: Rayburn House Office Building Gold Room (Room 2168)
- Time & Date: Thursday, May 7, 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
- RSVP: https://www.eesi.org/briefings/view/050726water#rsvp
Newsletter content and related items: The issue highlights articles on data center waste heat reuse, PFAS (“forever chemicals”) in data center components, a breakdown of 65 climate, energy, and environment hearings on the Hill from March–April 2026, and a podcast interview about environmental justice research in Accra, Ghana. It also notes internship applications open until May 17, 2026, and links to legislative actions such as the enactment of the Homeland Security and Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act of 2026 (H.R.7147) and passage of bills including the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 (H.R.7567).

May 6, 2026

Data Center Jobs: Engineering, Construction, Commissioning, Sales, Field Service and Facility Tech Jobs Available in Major Data Center Hotspots

Data Center Frontier, in partnership with Pkaza, has posted the latest data center job listings on its jobs board.

Monthly job roundup: The post lists multiple open roles including Power Applications Engineer, Electrical Commissioning Engineer, Power Systems Sales Implementation Engineer, Architect Design Manager (CSA), Electrical Project Manager, Commissioning Project Manager, MEP Superintendent, Director of Data Center Facility Operations, Project Executive (Owner’s Rep), EHS Director, Mechanical Commissioning Lead, Mechanical Controls Engineer, Director of Project Deliverables, and Senior Electrical Engineer across numerous U.S. locations (examples: Pittsburgh, PA; New Albany, OH; Raleigh, NC; Dallas, TX; Charlotte, NC; Chesterton, IN; Denver, CO; New York, NY; Totowa, NJ), with many roles offering remote or multi-city travel options.
Client and role context: Positions are with mission-critical data center developers, engineering design and commissioning firms, electrical contracting firms, general contractors, and digital infrastructure firms; job descriptions emphasize reliability, energy efficiency, sustainable design, and LEED expertise, and note career-growth opportunities, competitive salaries and benefits. Many listings reference travel requirements and alternative available locations for implementation timelines (immediate hiring/use by clients), but no specific salary or funding amounts are disclosed.

May 4, 2026

Key to national security or an environmental threat? Data center debate coming to a head

Box Elder County Commission will decide whether to advance a proposed 40,000-acre data center development led by O’Leary Digital (the “Stratos Project Area” / Wonder Valley) at a special meeting on May 4.

Project details and action: The commission meeting is scheduled May 4 at 4 p.m. in the Fine Arts Building at the Box Elder County Fairgrounds in Tremonton; the proposal covers 40,000 acres, would require 7.5-9 gigawatts of power (likely from natural gas-fired plants), and supporters estimate ~2,000 permanent jobs. The Utah Military Installation Development Authority approved resolutions on April 24 allowing the project to move forward, many local landowners have agreed, and Gov. Spencer Cox has publicly supported the plan (official county approval still required); next steps depend on investor commitments and the Box Elder County Commission’s remaining resolutions.
Background and outstanding concerns: Opponents and environmental groups (e.g., Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment, Indivisible Ogden) cite risks to water supplies and the Great Salt Lake, warn of impacts on water quality, noise, energy use, and local temperature increases, and say many project specifics have not been publicly released; foes plan to rally outside the May 4 meeting. The article also references a separate U.S. Army data center selection (Dugway Proving Ground) and statements on the military importance of AI that are not tied to the O’Leary proposal.

May 2, 2026

Developers of mega data center promise environmental considerations, community benefit

O’Leary Digital has announced plans for Project Stratos, a proposed 40,000-acre data center and accompanying power plant in Box Elder County, Utah.

Project details and commitments: The developers say Project Stratos would cover 40,000 acres and include a power plant producing up to nearly 9 gigawatts of electricity; they claim it will produce only 5% of the carbon emissions of similar plants and are seeking a production method that doesn’t require water. They plan a closed-loop cooling system (water‑and‑glycol mixture with occasional refills), promise no contaminants released, architectural design using clean and sustainable materials, leaseback agreements with ranchers to preserve grazing, and hunting sanctuaries. The developers also tie the project to AI and cloud-computing infrastructure for the U.S. military and say they will offer AI-literacy courses and academic program support. Phase one is expected to generate about 2,000 jobs, with potential to triple at full capacity.
Background, opposition, and process: The announcement responds to active online and organized opposition; developers allege some protesters are from outside Utah and report threats and harassment toward officials and landowners. Scientists remain skeptical about environmental outcomes. Box Elder County officials are scheduled to consider approval in an upcoming special meeting:
- Date: Monday (as stated in the article published May 1, 2026; the meeting is described as the special meeting immediately following publication)
- Time: 4:00 p.m.
- Location: Box Elder County Fairgrounds
- Agenda/subject: County commissioners to vote on approval of Project Stratos (mega data center and power plant)

May 1, 2026

Scenes from the great data center revolt

Andy Patrizio reports growing community and political pushback against multiple proposed data center projects across the United States.

Widespread local opposition and legal/political actions: Multiple communities have moved from passive concern to active resistance, including a recall of four Festus, Missouri city council members after approval of a $6 billion, 360-acre data center proposal; a citizens’ lawsuit in Hermantown, Minnesota to block a $1.5 billion Google “Project Loon” site; and a coalition in Pennsylvania seeking a three-year moratorium plus legislation (HB 2150, HB 1834, HB 2151) requiring reporting on energy/water use, banning cost-shifting to residents, and a model zoning ordinance.
Project specifics and mitigations for two large developments: In Box Elder County, Utah, a Kevin O’Leary–backed hyperscale campus on 40,000 acres plans an initial ~3 GW power need and up to 9 GW at full buildout with on-site power via the Ruby Pipeline (MIDA says “100% of the power will be generated off the Ruby Pipeline”); Wyoming’s Project Jade expanded from 1.8 GW to 2.7 GW (designer says theoretically up to 10 GW) and proposes closed-loop water cooling with initial fill equivalent to ~20 households and ongoing use equivalent to <3 households per year.

Apr 24, 2026

The POWER Interview: How the Oil and Gas Industry is Advancing Geothermal

XGS Energy has announced a 115-MW development deal with California Community Power and is developing a 150-MW, $1.2-billion partnership with Meta in New Mexico.

Main announcement: XGS signed a 115 MW development agreement with California Community Power granting those members first rights to the electricity produced, and a 150-MW partnership with Meta described as a $1.2-billion capital project in New Mexico; the Meta project is two-phased and both phases are expected to be operational by 2030, and will supply Meta’s data center operations via the PNM utility grid.
Background and validation: XGS completed a commercial demonstration of its water-independent closed-loop system at the Coso geothermal field running continuously for more than 3,000 hours using its Thermal Reach Enhancement (TRE) and oil-and-gas-derived drilling and casing technologies; the article also cites an IEA finding that geothermal financing reached nearly $2.2 billion last year (up from $22 million in 2018) and references federal incentives (clean energy tax credits retained in the 2025 U.S. budget and DOE’s Enhanced Geothermal Shot).

Apr 23, 2026

TerraPower’s Kemmerer 1 Enters Construction: Timeline of the Natrium Project’s Road to First Power

TerraPower has announced the official start of construction on Kemmerer Unit 1, its flagship Natrium sodium-cooled fast reactor plant, on April 23, 2026.

Construction start and project scope: TerraPower announced the official start of construction for Kemmerer Unit 1 on April 23, 2026, following the NRC’s construction permit issued March 4, 2026; the plant is a 345‑MWe sodium‑cooled fast reactor with an integrated molten‑salt energy storage system that can boost output to 500 MW, with a 2030–2031 commercial operation target and an expected mobilization of roughly 1,600 workers and about 250 full‑time staff in operation.
Background, funding, and partners: The project was selected under DOE’s ARDP with up to $2 billion in cost‑shared federal support; Bechtel is the EPC contractor (transitioning from early works into field execution); other partners and stakeholders include GE Hitachi, PacifiCorp, a HALEU partnership with Framatome, and a data‑center‑focused agreement with Meta; the NRC permit establishes licensing firsts for a commercial non–light water reactor and uses the LMP risk‑informed approach.

Apr 20, 2026

U.S. Data Center Gold Rush Drives Surge in New Utility Tariffs

SEPA and the NC Clean Energy Technology Center (NCCETC) updated the Database of Emerging Large-Load Tariffs (DELTa) on March 31, 2026.

Update details: DELTa now summarizes and analyzes 77 approved and proposed tariffs and service rules across 60 utilities (including 51 approved and 26 proposed). Key dataset metrics include 36 states with tracked tariffs, 56% of tariffs specifying thresholds > 20 MW, and 14% specifying minimum loads of 100 MW.
Policy and regulatory actions: The note documents recent state actions and proposals: Pennsylvania PUC proposed a model tariff (minimum demand 50 MW or 100 MW in aggregate; 5-year minimum contract term; 3–5 year ramp; 80% minimum billing demand; up to 20% post-term load reduction; financial security and hardship fund contributions); New York PSC opened an Energize NY proceeding (stakeholder comments due May 13, 2026); North Carolina Task Force interim report (Feb 2026) recommends large-load tariff options and alternative capacity procurement; other actions include Utah S.B. 132 (March 2025, 100 MW threshold), Texas S.B. 6 (June 2025), California S.B. 57 (Oct 2025, CPUC findings due Jan 1, 2027), and Missouri executive order (Jan 2026). FERC’s ANOPR action on large-load interconnection reforms is expected by June 2026.

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