Carbon County, Utah, is the site of a massive planned buildout of data center power infrastructure, including 456 small nuclear reactors and a large gas plant. The deals were made with little public input, and local residents, many already dealing with the effects of decades of coal mining, are organizing to demand a say over land, water, and air. High Country News reports that the projects are tied to data center complexes, raising questions about siting review, water use, and grid connection. For anyone tracking energy transition conflicts, this is a useful case study in how industrial load can collide with local communities. The outcome could shape how future data center and nuclear projects are approved in rural areas.
