Post #2494344

2026-05-13 16:33 UTC

RE: https://mastodon.green/@gerrymcgovern/116567154245513238 “Developers say the facility could eventually require up to 9 gigawatts of power. For perspective, Utah’s current statewide electricity demand typically peaks around 4 to 5 gigawatts. That means a single AI-focused campus could theoretically consume more power than the entire state currently uses.” Gotta always appreciate Yahoo! News for doing the math for us! 💪🤔

Replies (6)

@simonzerafa@infosec.exchange 2026-05-13 16:44

@scott@sfba.social For reference the Trinity test is listed as 100 TJ or 27.78 gigawatt-hours (GWh). So 9 GW of power over what time period? 🤔

Open ##2996930
@cwebber@social.coop 2026-05-13 20:01

@scott@sfba.social don't worry using ai is like little sips of teaspoons of water. it doesn't matter. you use more water and power drinking water than the water drinking water of the datacenter water

Open ##2996931
@llewelly@sauropods.win 2026-05-13 20:01

@scott@sfba.social utah, being utah, is the 2nd driest state in the USA, by precipitation ... did anyone say where all the water was expected to come from?

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@glc@mastodon.online 2026-05-13 20:01

@scott@sfba.social If built ... https://www.wheresyoured.at/where-are-all-the-data-centers/

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@ChuckMcManis@chaos.social 2026-05-13 22:08

@scott@sfba.social An interesting way to hack this would be to require they build a 10GW solar power farm (480GWh of batteries and 120GW of solar panels) that would take 120,000 acres. It would completely supply power for the data center with 100% solar energy day and night. When the AI company went out of business, Utah could buy a 'whole state' solar array for cheap.

Open ##2996937
@twipped@twipped.social 2026-05-13 23:16

@scott@sfba.social @cwebber@social.coop @gerrymcgovern@mastodon.green and it'll all be powered by methane generators, just like that xAI data center thats poisoning the local community

Open ##2996938