Council members raise questions about proposed data-center partnerships, citing water and power concerns

Council members discussed recent reports about a proposed high-tech/data-center partnership and urged caution pending formal proposals and clear impact studies. Concerns centered on potential local water use, power supply and rates, and nontechnical impacts such as noise.

"I realize their talent is being quiet, but apparently, there's a constant that is really irritating," Larry said while warning that data centers are not always 'out of sight, out of mind' for nearby residents. Other members noted the county had not been formally notified and emphasized that any project would need to clear planning and zoning and come through formal county review.

Members compared large, high-demand facilities elsewhere with the far smaller proposal mentioned for this county, with one member saying the Duchesne County proposal was 400 megawatts while the local pitch appears to be roughly 3 megawatts. Councilors stressed that different scales have different water and power footprints and that the county should seek commitments that projects pay for necessary infrastructure or demonstrate minimal local burden.

"If they're coming here, they ought to pay for our electricity," one member said, noting concern that large users could shift generation and transmission costs onto other customers. The council recorded no formal action on the matter and asked staff to flag any formal proposals for review when submitted.

The council did not receive a formal proposal during the meeting and urged county planning and utility partners to be consulted before any commitments were made.