The huge data center that Utahns are upset about, need some help on if it's a good idea.

[Tacenda]

Here's a KSL article about it. And also, why has the church been silent, or maybe they haven't but I thought the Great Salt Lake was a big priority and the humongous data center, the largest in the country I believe, being shoved through the system and not letting the citizens know much about it, is not only horrible but I think life altering in a bad way. https://www.ksl.com/article/51491313/cox-backs-box-elder-county-data-center-proposal-in-part-due-to-national-security-factors

Gov Cox said it's needed, but is it, with all the other data centers in Utah? Also, I'm probably oblivious, but why do we need them? Is it all about AI and some conspiracy thing that will enable our lives to be spied on?

I appreciate your input on the MDDB. You usually know your stuff, unlike me! 

BTW, it's the Mr. Wonderful guy on Shark Tank that is the leader on this. Who is profiting the most I wonder.

 

[webbles]

The news article says that the water for the data center is from existing water shares.  If those have previously been used and this is just redirecting its use, I don't have that big of a problem.  But if those shares were currently not used and are being developed for the project (like a well is being dug or a pipe is being built to take water out of a river), then I would have problems.

The use of the cross-state gas line to power it is interesting.  It should have enough power for the data center without affecting other communities but who knows the future.

The big push for data centers right now is because of AI.  Both training AI and then using AI consume a lot of power.

I doubt this data center would spy on people.  Utah already has a data center that does that down near Lehi and Saratoga Springs - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utah_Data_Center.  That is managed by NSA and stores a ton of data that probably includes everything about everyone.

[GoCeltics]

Humans are so smart. They would never build something like Skynet 🤫

[Rain]

On 5/1/2026 at 11:42 AM, Tacenda said:

Here's a KSL article about it. And also, why has the church been silent

It's not strictly a moral issue.

On 5/1/2026 at 11:42 AM, Tacenda said:

 

, or maybe they haven't but I thought the Great Salt Lake was a big priority and the humongous data center, the largest in the country I believe, being shoved through the system and not letting the citizens know much about it, is not only horrible but I think life altering in a bad way. https://www.ksl.com/article/51491313/cox-backs-box-elder-county-data-center-proposal-in-part-due-to-national-security-factors

Gov Cox said it's needed, but is it, with all the other data centers in Utah? Also, I'm probably oblivious, but why do we need them? Is it all about AI and some conspiracy thing that will enable our lives to be spied on?

I appreciate your input on the MDDB. You usually know your stuff, unlike me! 

BTW, it's the Mr. Wonderful guy on Shark Tank that is the leader on this. Who is profiting the most I wonder.

 

 

[Tacenda]

Just saw this in Insta! Is this true? If so we need to limit our usage of Chatgtb. 

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1XLmaucqcq/

[webbles]

1 hour ago, Tacenda said:

Just saw this in Insta! Is this true? If so we need to limit our usage of Chatgtb. 

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1XLmaucqcq/

It is based off of this study - https://arxiv.org/pdf/2304.03271.  The study is over a year old and based on the ChatGPT 3.  The numbers in the study look all right.  They grab actual datacenter water usage and the calculations from energy usage and water usage look sane. 

So, yes, 10-50 prompts with chatgpt probably consume about 500ml of water.  That's why I talked about if this new datacenter is going to use water shares that are actively being used (so already being used and consumed), I don't have that much of a problem.  But I have a problem with developing unused water shares for this.

[longview]

33 minutes ago, webbles said:

So, yes, 10-50 prompts with chatgpt probably consume about 500ml of water.  That's why I talked about if this new datacenter is going to use water shares that are actively being used (so already being used and consumed), I don't have that much of a problem.  But I have a problem with developing unused water shares for this.

Thus making the surrounding ecosystem a lot more humid?

Quote

In Cool Runnings, loosely based on the true story of the Jamaican bobsled team at the 1988 Winter Olympics, the character Irv Blitzer (played by John Candy) delivers the line with perfect comic timing. The Jamaican team, accustomed to tropical warmth, arrives in chilly Calgary, Canada, stepping out into a blizzard. As they shiver in the cold, Irv sarcastically remarks: ‘It’s not so much the heat, it’s the humidity that’ll kill you.’

 

[The Nehor]

The water allocation system needs to be revisited. It was built on best-case estimates that aren’t sustainable but it is political suicide to try to change anything to fix the problem.