The cause for caution about data centers on Access Utah

By Tom Williams

Published May 11, 2026 at 3:50 PM MDT

Photograph of an aisle of computers at a data center

A hyperscale data center just approved by the Box Elder County Commission is making headlines, but according to the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute there are 48 data centers in operation in Utah, with seven under construction and more being proposed. Proponents tout advantages of these centers such as jobs and economic development in rural areas.

We hear the case for caution about data centers in Utah. We talk with Utah State University associate professor of physics Robert Davies.

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Tom Williams

Tom Williams worked as a part-time UPR announcer for a few years and joined Utah Public Radio full-time in 1996. He is a proud graduate of Uintah High School in Vernal and Utah State University (B. A. in Liberal Arts and Master of Business Administration.) He grew up in a family that regularly discussed everything from opera to religion to politics. He is interested in just about everything and loves to engage people in conversation, so you could say he has found the perfect job as host “Access Utah.” He and his wife Becky, live in Logan.

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