Large Data Centers Increasingly Planned in Vulnerable Rural Counties, Raising Environmental and Social Concerns
An analysis by The Daily Yonder reveals a growing trend of large data centers being planned in rural counties, particularly those with high poverty rates, lack of broadband access, and high uninsurance rates. While seven of the nine largest operating data centers are in metropolitan counties, five of the nine largest planned facilities are situated in nonmetropolitan areas. The largest planned data center, the Delta Gigasite Expansion in rural Millard, Utah, has a capacity of 9.7 GW, capable of using as much power as 850,000 U.S. households daily. These new facilities are significantly larger than existing ones, with an estimated average capacity of 126 MW per facility compared to 47 MW for operating centers. The report suggests that developers may be targeting vulnerable communities that have fewer resources to negotiate deals or manage the consequences of such large-scale industrial developments. 
