New Data Center Equivalent to Setting Off 23 Nuclear Bombs Per Day, Professor Finds

A proposed hyperscale data center in Box Elder County, Utah, could generate about 16 gigawatts of waste heat, according to a physics professor’s estimate.

Researchers warn the heat could sharply raise local temperatures, worsening dryness and dust in Hansel Valley and surrounding areas.

The project is drawing concern because it could further stress the already fragile Great Salt Lake watershed and nearby ecosystems.

The debate highlights the environmental risks of rapid growth in large-scale data centers, especially in arid regions.