'We pissed off a lot of people': Giant data center plan cut 50% amid protests

A proposed Utah data center backed by Kevin O'Leary was drastically scaled back after pressure from lawmakers. The original project would have consumed 9 gigawatts of power—more than double what Utah uses annually—raising environmental and community concerns. The scaled-back plan reflects broader backlash against hyperscaler data center developments, with 142 advocacy organizations actively organizing to block or increase regulatory burdens on new projects.

Source: Ars Technica | 2026-06-05