Utah Approves Massive Stratos AI Data Center Amid Protests

The Box Elder County Commission unanimously approved the Stratos Project on May 4, 2026, a massive 40,000-acre AI data center and energy campus in northwest Utah. Backed by investor Kevin O'Leary and the Military Installation Development Authority, the project aims to bolster U.S. national security and AI dominance relative to China. The facility is projected to consume up to 9 gigawatts of power—more than double Utah's current statewide usage—primarily through on-site natural gas turbines.

The approval process was marked by volatility. Approximately 1,100 residents protested at the county fairgrounds in Tremonton, citing fears that the project would further drain the shrinking Great Salt Lake and increase state emissions by up to 64%. The meeting became so unruly that commissioners cast their final votes via livestream from a private room. In the aftermath, local residents led by Brenna Williams filed for a November referendum to overturn the decision.

Governor Spencer J. Cox supported the project as a national security imperative but later introduced regulatory guardrails. He mandated a phased rollout, capping the first phase at 1.5 gigawatts, and required that the project not raise resident energy bills or harm the Great Salt Lake. Additionally, the Utah Department of Environmental Quality now requires a year of air quality monitoring and permits under the Clean Air Act. Despite these hurdles, developers continue to seek water rights under the new HB60 law, which limits the state's ability to reject requests based on general public welfare.