"Three Times BIGGER Than Manhattan" - MEGA AI Data Center Sparks Tech War With Americans

A controversial 62-square-mile data center, equivalent to three Manhattans, is being built in Utah, sparking significant concern and outrage among residents. Hundreds of protesters flooded a Box Elder County commissioners' meeting after they voted to move forward with the proposal. The project is backed by celebrity Canadian businessman Kevin O'Leary, known as "Mr. Wonderful" from "Shark Tank." O'Leary, in a social media video, acknowledged public concerns about air quality, water usage, and heat, stating that sustainability is at the heart of their proposals. The "Stratus project" plans a 40,000-acre development near Utah's Great Salt Lake, boosted by government tax incentives. A county fact sheet indicates it's expected to generate and consume up to 9 gigawatts of power, more than double Utah's average energy consumption, which is a major point of contention. Data centers, historically, have a reputation for consuming vast amounts of water and power while creating few jobs. However, O'Leary claims this project is different, with completely self-contained power usage. The potential environmental impact is fueling much of the outrage, with residents expressing fears of losing land, water, and air quality. A significant point of discussion revolves around the noise generated by these facilities. An audio clip played during the discussion, purportedly from a large AI data center, sounded like a plane taking off, specifically a C5 transport aircraft. This raised questions about the typical noise levels of such centers. Further investigation revealed that the specific audio clip was from a Microsoft-backed AI data center facility in Vineland, New Jersey, Cumberland County. Experts confirmed that large AI data centers, especially when running heavy cooling systems or backup power generation, can indeed produce a roaring, humming noise similar to airport tarmac noise, large warehouse turbines, or distant jet engines. This is due to massive arrays of cooling fans, air handling units, and cooling towers, necessary to cool the GPUs and other components, like Nvidia's H100s, B200s, and GB200 systems, which require significant airflow and cooling. Multiple cities, including Phoenix, Dallas, Ashburn, and Memphis, have seen residents file lawsuits and complaints against these data centers due to the noise. The continuous low-frequency roar from these facilities is a real issue for those living nearby. The discussion also touched upon water usage, highlighting an incident in Atlanta where a data center illegally siphoned 30 million gallons of water, causing low water pressure for residents. The company eventually paid back $150,000. This exemplifies the need for better regulation and design in terms of water and power consumption. The idea of using small Gen 5 nuclear reactors on-site for power was suggested as a solution to energy demands and grid stability. While acknowledging the necessity of data centers for competing in the modern world and controlling the future of AI, the panel stressed the importance of addressing their impact on communities. Comparisons were drawn to other industrial facilities like nuclear plants, power plants, landfills, and airports, which typically have regulations regarding their proximity to residential areas. The consensus was that while data centers are essential, their location and design need careful consideration to mitigate noise and environmental impact. Entrepreneurs are encouraged to find innovative solutions for quieter and more efficient cooling systems and water recycling. The personal experiences of living near noisy environments were shared, from apartment complexes with thin walls to neighborhoods with illegal meth labs and hydroponic pot operations. The proximity to an airport, with daily F-18 takeoffs, was also mentioned, with the hosts noting that one can adapt to the noise to some extent. However, the unique, constant roar of large data centers presents a new challenge, particularly for residents in quieter areas not accustomed to such industrial noise. The conversation underscored the need for better communication, design, and regulation within the data center industry to address legitimate citizen concerns.