Utah Data Center Intel

Recent Utah data center news

• Mar 10, 2026

  US solar installations down in 2025 after Trump policies jolt market, report says

  The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and Wood Mackenzie published a study showing US new solar installations fell to 43 GW in 2025, down from nearly 50 GW in 2024.

  • Study finding and causes:43 GW installed in 2025 versus nearly 50 GW in 2024; utility-scale solar installations declined 16% and community solar declined 25% in 2025. The report attributes the disruption to policy changes under the Trump administration, including the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the scrapping of subsidies and tax breaks for renewable developers, and a freeze on approvals for major projects. Top states: Texas added 11 GW, followed by Indiana, Florida, Arizona, Ohio, Utah and Arkansas.
  • Background and projections: The report notes solar and energy storage accounted for 79% of new capacity additions in the first year of the Trump administration, with more than two-thirds of installations in states won by him. It projects the US will add 490 GW of new solar capacity by 2036, taking cumulative installed capacity to nearly 770 GW. Key spokespersons: Darren Van’t Hof (SEIA interim President and CEO) and Michelle Davis (head of solar, Wood Mackenzie).
• Mar 8, 2026

  2026 Utah legislature on Great Salt Lake, Colorado River and the environment

  Utah’s Division of Forestry, Fire & State Lands won the bankruptcy auction for U.S. Magnesium and lawmakers rushed through funding and multiple bills aimed at supporting the Great Salt Lake and other environmental priorities.

  • Main action: The state agency won the auction for U.S. Magnesium’s bankruptcy assets to secure water for the Great Salt Lake and the Legislature approved $30 million in funding; House Majority Leader Casey Snider filed a land-trade settlement involving the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge that will provide $60 million intended for lake rescue efforts.
  • Additional facts and legislative actions: Lawmakers set aside $1 million for potential Colorado River lawsuits; the session passed bills to change how water-conserved credits are used (e.g., shifting brine shrimp tax revenues), authorized studies (wetlands, forest/watershed health at Utah State University), and advanced a bill requiring data centers to disclose water use (initially failed in the Senate, then reconsidered and passed); a stalled proposal to reallocate funds from the Bear River Pipeline also received debate but did not pass.
• Mar 5, 2026

  U.S. Issues First Commercial Construction Permit for a Nuclear Reactor in Years

  The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission approved a construction permit for a TerraPower subsidiary to build a sodium-cooled commercial reactor in western Wyoming.

  • Main announcement: The NRC issued its first construction permit for a commercial reactor in eight years, allowing TerraPower to begin construction within weeks on an up-to $4 billion plant near Kemmerer, Wyoming; completion is targeted for 2030 and the reactor is rated 345 megawatts (up to 500 MW peak).
  • Background and details: The permit is the NRC’s first for a non-light-water commercial reactor in more than 40 years; the plant will be sited beside a coal-fired plant being converted to natural gas, will use molten sodium as a coolant, and TerraPower says it is lining up sources of highly enriched uranium domestically and in South Africa. In January, the U.S. Department of Energy announced a first step toward modernizing the fuel cycle and invited states to express interest by April 1.
• Mar 4, 2026 · InfoWest

  Annabella Gets Lit Up with InfoWest Fiber!

  InfoWest has announced availability of fiber-optic internet service in Annabella (Sevier County), offering an introductory pricing plan and local installation/support.

  • Announcement: InfoWest is offering fiber service in Annabella, Sevier County, with an introductory price of $45/month for 12 months (“taxes, equipment, and fees included”) and $55/month after the first year; customers can sign up by phone (435-238-7803) or online at infowest.com. The update is dated March 4, 2026 and presents this as a customer-facing launch/availability notice.
  • Details/implementation: The release emphasizes local tech support, installation services, and a smooth sign-up-to-installation process; no financing, partnership, or multi-party deal details are provided, and the message is a direct consumer service announcement rather than a contractual or regulatory filing.
• Mar 4, 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 roundup of data center career opportunities on the Data Center Frontier jobs board.

  • Main announcement: Data Center Frontier and Pkaza published 13 current data center job listings across the United States (examples include Electrical Applications Engineer, Electrical Commissioning Engineer, Production Architect – Data Center Facilities Design, Director of Construction, and Data Center Facility Operations Director), with many roles offering remote options or multiple city locations (e.g., Pittsburgh, Dallas, New York, Ashburn, Columbus, Boulder, Chesterton, Augusta).
  • Background and details: Listings are provided by/for mission-critical and colo/hyperscale sectors and emphasize reliability, energy efficiency, sustainable design and LEED expertise; roles cover engineering design & commissioning firms, electrical contracting, general contracting and data center developers, and include positions supporting AI/HPC infrastructure and brownfield conversions.
• Mar 4, 2026

  Tribes and environmentalists raise alarm over $2 billion Columbia River power line

  PowerBridge has proposed burying an 80-mile, high-voltage transmission cable under the Columbia River as the nearly $2 billion Cascade Renewable Transmission System.

  • Project details: PowerBridge proposes the Cascade Renewable Transmission System to bury a roughly 12-inch cable bundle for 80 miles along the Columbia River, buried 10 to 15 feet beneath the riverbed, to transmit 1,100 megawatts from The Dalles to a substation in Northwest Portland; the company says the method has been used near New York and New Jersey for nearly two decades.
  • Approvals and timeline: PowerBridge filed permit applications with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and state agencies in Oregon and Washington; the article states construction is not expected to start until at least 2028 if reviews pass and funding is secured.
• Feb 25, 2026 · InfoWest

  Firelight SunRiver Gets InfoWest Fiber

  InfoWest has announced that Firelight SunRiver homes in Toquerville, Utah now come pre-installed with InfoWest fiber, available for immediate activation.

  • Main announcement: InfoWest has pre-installed fiber-optic infrastructure in every new home at Firelight SunRiver (Toquerville, Utah), meaning residents can activate service immediately with no construction delays; the post was updated on Wednesday, February 25th @ 11:02am.
  • Details & offer: The deployment was done in partnership with the builder to equip homes from day one; InfoWest is offering an introductory rate of $45/month, local tech support, and installers; residents can activate by calling 435-656-4800 or signing up at https://signup.infowest.com/signup/servicecheck.
• Feb 25, 2026

  Romania’s Coal-to-NuScale SMR Conversion Secures FID, Moves Into Implementation With Caveats

  Nuclearelectrica has approved a final investment decision (FID) for a 462‑MWe six‑module NuScale VOYGR‑6 SMR at the former Doicești coal plant, moving the project from analysis into Stage 3 development.

  • Main announcement: Nuclearelectrica shareholders approved an FID for a 462‑MWe (6×77‑MWe) NuScale VOYGR‑6 SMR at Doicești; the FID is contingent on multiple mandatory conditions (listed in RoPower and Nuclearelectrica annexes) that remain under an eight‑year confidentiality agreement. RoPower (50/50 S.N. Nuclearelectrica S.A. / Nova Power & Gas S.A.) must complete geotechnical investigations, advance licensing, finalize a pre‑EPC contract, negotiate long‑lead equipment, define supply chains, and prepare organization for pre‑EPC/EPC by May 2026, and Stage 3 (pre‑EPC) is expected to last about 15 months to produce a Class 2 cost estimate and contractor shortlist.
  • Background and specifics: The Doicești brownfield was a decommissioned 600‑MW coal station where Nova Power & Gas removed ~600,000 tonnes of material and refurbished site infrastructure including a ~650‑MW grid connection and water access; parallel national nuclear work includes Cernavoda Unit 1 refurbishment (contract ~C$781 million for tooling; Unit 1 investment estimate €1.85 billion) and planning for Units 3 & 4 (estimated €7 billion, with U.S. EXIM letters of interest up to $50 million and up to $3 billion). The FID announcement signals advancing commercial, engineering (NuScale and Fluor FEED), and US government‑backed support (USTDA, EXIM) but remains explicitly conditional on the confidential requirements.
• Feb 25, 2026

  Climate Change Solutions - February 24, 2026

  The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) released a newsletter highlighting data center impacts, policy developments on Capitol Hill, and upcoming briefings and events.

  • Main announcement: EESI highlighted rising household energy costs driven in part by data center demand, noting electricity prices have risen by up to 267% since 2020 in high-concentration data center areas and that wildfires cost the United States up to $424 billion annually. The newsletter features the article “Data Center Power Demands Are Contributing to Higher Energy Bills,” a podcast on wildfire philanthropy, and announces briefings including “Understanding Load Growth and Energy Affordability” on Thursday, February 26 (3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m., Rayburn House Office Building, Gold Room (Room 2168) and online).

  • Background and other details: The newsletter summaries recent legislative actions and events: Senate Energy Committee advanced the Critical Mineral Consistency Act of 2025 (S.714); House Committee approved the ACERO Act (H.R.390) to authorize NASA’s ACERO project; Senate Foreign Relations agreed to the Protecting Global Fisheries Act of 2026 (S.1369); House introduced the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 (H.R.7567). Events listed with dates/times/locations:

    • Understanding Load Growth and Energy Affordability — Feb 26, 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m., Rayburn House Office Building, Gold Room (Room 2168) and online
    • Igniting Innovation: Progress and a Path Forward for Wildfire Policy — Mar 3, 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m., Russell Senate Office Building, Room 385 and online (Reception to follow)
    • Strategies to Lower Utility Bills Now for Households and Small Businesses — Mar 12, 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m., Rayburn House Office Building, Gold Room (Room 2168) and online
    • 2026 Congressional Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency EXPO and Policy Forum (EXPO 2026) — Jun 24, 9:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m., Rayburn House Office Building Foyer and Gold Room and online
• Feb 25, 2026

  How Data Centers Are Adapting to Extreme Weather

  Data center industry analysis warns operators to intensify climate resilience planning.

  • Main announcement/action: Industry analysis and expert commentary (S&P Global, World Economic Forum scenarios; Uptime Institute research) highlight rising climate-driven risks to data centers, projecting annual climate-driven costs up to 9.5% of total data center asset value by 2055, with extreme heat responsible for roughly two-thirds of that impact; operators are implementing site selection, hardened construction, hybrid air-and-liquid cooling, closed-loop water systems, and on-site generation use (e.g., generator switchovers during Winter Storm Fern) to manage risk.
  • Background and details: The article documents recent events and regional responses: ERCOT warnings after July 2025 Texas flooding, a DOE emergency order during Winter Storm Fern (start of 2026) authorizing curtailment and encouraging on-site generation, and Brazil market growth projections from Mordor Intelligence ($2.95 billion in 2025 → $3.38 billion in 2026 → $6.67 billion by 2031) alongside Microsoft’s prior ~$2.7 billion pledge to Brazil cloud/AI infrastructure; operators like ValorC3 and Tecto are emphasizing elevated pads, reinforced concrete, seismic criteria, corrosion-resistant materials, and burying fiber as concrete resilience measures.