As technology becomes more central to the modern economy, the demand for dependable and resilient energy continues to grow. Large-scale data centers operate around the clock to support artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and the digital tools that families, businesses, and communities rely on every day.

The Stratos Project also addresses a specific national defense need. At the request of the Undersecretary of the Air Force, the Military Installation Development Authority (MIDA) was asked to identify locations capable of providing independent energy and computing power — recognizing that energy resilience, compute capacity, and data storage are now critical to defense operations. The project also supports federal Executive Orders addressing national energy resilience and the development of critical infrastructure.

Beyond defense and technology, the project is expected to bring significant private investment to Utah, generate long-term local and state revenue, support thousands of construction jobs and permanent careers, and fund needed public infrastructure.

The total project area covers approximately 40,000 acres, but the actual data center footprint will occupy only a fraction of that (~2,000 acres). Different power generation technologies require different amounts of land — solar requires a larger physical footprint than natural gas, for example — so the precise developed acreage will depend on the final energy mix.

The majority of the project area will remain undeveloped open space, supporting wildlife corridors, continued grazing, and significant separation from the Great Salt Lake. For comparison, Salt Lake City sits closer to the Great Salt Lake than the proposed data center will.

Water is among Utah's most carefully managed resources, and the Stratos Project has been designed with that reality in mind. The cooling architecture and water-rights structure described below are intended to deliver lower net water consumption than the agricultural use already occurring on this land — and it will never draw from the Great Salt Lake.

Cooling design. The campus will use a closed-loop chilling system combined with dry (air-based) cooling. Cooling fluid circulates within sealed equipment and is reused continuously, so there is no continuous water draw during operation. Water is required only for the initial system fill and for minor maintenance. Because of this design, ongoing day-to-day water demand at the campus is expected to be similar to that of a large office complex — primarily restrooms, sinks, and employee facilities.

Water source. All water for the project will come from existing private water rights attached to land the development team is acquiring. None of the water will come from the Great Salt Lake. Because the project is using rights that are already in place — rather than seeking new water — net water draw on the watershed is expected to decline relative to current use.

Water rights acquired. The development team is acquiring approximately 13,564 acre-feet of water rights.  These are the rights currently attached to the properties being purchased.

Projected use. At full build-out, the campus is projected to use approximately 2,180 acre-feet of water annually. With the project's planned closed-loop and dry-cooling design, that figure is projected to fall further, to between 500 and 1,100 acre-feet annually. Because the project is acquiring more water rights than it intends to use, the unused portion stays in the basin — which is the basis for the project's projected net benefit to the Great Salt Lake watershed.

Public process. Every water-rights change application submitted to the Utah Division of Water Rights is subject to a 20-day public comment period. The project's initial application was submitted on March 25 and withdrawn on May 6; the development team has indicated it will refile with additional information.

The Stratos Project supports reliable, domestic energy production and strengthens the alignment of local, state, and federal efforts to protect critical infrastructure, advance energy resilience, and support national defense. At the request of the Undersecretary of the Air Force, MIDA was asked to identify locations capable of providing independent energy and computing power — recognizing that energy resilience, compute capacity, and data storage are now critical to defense operations. The project also supports federal Executive Orders on national energy resilience and the development of critical infrastructure.

The campus's principal users will be large-scale data centers serving both defense-related missions and broader commercial demand. Future-phased development may also include advanced manufacturing facilities. Both the energy generation and the campus tenants are expected to contribute meaningful economic growth to Box Elder County and the State of Utah.

"From a military standpoint, projects like this matter because national security has to be built into our infrastructure from the start. Investments that strengthen energy resilience and support critical systems help ensure we're prepared for the challenges ahead and able to operate without interruption when it matters most. Having reliable energy and strong data infrastructure is becoming critical to how we operate, and efforts like this help strengthen readiness in a very real way. We're grateful for the collaboration and the shared focus on moving military readiness forward."

— Col. Andy Owens, Director, Utah National Guard Joint Staff

Most of the project area is currently used for seasonal livestock grazing rather than crop production, and much of the land is difficult to farm and supports only limited agricultural use today. The development team has indicated that grazing can continue in many areas as infrastructure is phased in, and large portions of the site are expected to remain open even at full build-out. Land will also be leased back to local ranchers for grazing during and after construction.

The Stratos campus will produce all of its electricity on-site through newly constructed, stand-alone generation facilities. The campus will not draw from the existing electric grid, and the project will not raise power bills for Utah residents.

By generating its own power, the campus avoids placing additional demand on the grid that serves homes, farms, schools, and local businesses across the state. The on-site generation is also designed to deliver the dependable, around-the-clock power needed to support advanced computing and AI infrastructure — a baseline requirement for any large-scale data center.

At full build-out, the developer estimates 2,000 permanent jobs in skilled trades, logistics, IT, and administrative positions for Box Elder County residents. The project is also expected to provide thousands of construction jobs over a roughly ten-year build period.

The MIDA designation does not change or reduce the project's obligation to comply with state and federal regulatory requirements. Before construction can begin, the development team must obtain all standard approvals, and the project will be subject to oversight from multiple Utah state agencies, including:

• The Division of Air Quality, which will evaluate projected air pollutant emissions and require specific control techniques.

• The Division of Drinking Water, which will review drinking water systems and ensure they are physically separate from water used for cooling, fire protection, or power generation.

• The Division of Water Quality, which requires permits for surface water and groundwater discharges to waters of the state, including the Great Salt Lake.

• The Division of Water Rights, which evaluates water availability and reviews any water rights change application. Each application includes a 20-day public comment period.

• The Division of Wildlife Resources, which can review potential impacts to wildlife and recommend mitigation measures once a formal plan is submitted.

Public comment opportunities apply at each step. The Division of Air Quality issues a 30-day public comment period and a public hearing if requested on draft permits, and the Division of Water Quality requires a rigorous public notice process for the multiple permit possibilities under its jurisdiction.

Data centers do generate heat, and that is one of the reasons the Stratos campus is being planned carefully, built over time, and designed with modern cooling technology from the beginning. Heat management will be an important part of the project’s design, engineering, environmental review, and long-term operations.

The Stratos campus is expected to use a closed-loop chilling system combined with dry, air-based cooling. In a closed-loop system, cooling fluid circulates through sealed piping and equipment to draw heat away from the computing infrastructure. That heat is then released through dry, air-based heat exchangers rather than through the evaporative cooling towers commonly used by older data centers.

This type of approach is increasingly common for new large-scale data center campuses because it allows for effective thermal management while substantially reducing water consumption compared to traditional designs. That matters anywhere, and it is especially important in Utah.

The campus will also be developed in phases, not all at once. That means heat management, cooling technology, energy efficiency, site layout, and environmental performance can be evaluated and improved as the project grows. As technology changes, the project team will continue looking for ways to reduce impacts and operate responsibly.

Based on experience with operating data centers elsewhere in the United States, these facilities have not been shown to create measurable changes in regional ambient temperatures. Heat from cooling systems is dispersed and mixed into the surrounding atmosphere through natural air movement rather than accumulating in one place.

Stratos will be expected to be a good steward of the land, air, water, and surrounding communities. Managing heat responsibly is part of that commitment, and mitigation will remain a priority at every stage of development.

Multiple Utah state agencies will provide oversight and review of the project before construction can begin, including:

• The Division of Air Quality, which will evaluate projected air pollutant emissions and mandate specific control techniques.

• The Division of Drinking Water, which will review drinking water systems and ensure they are physically separate from water used for cooling, fire protection, or power generation. The review covers source approval, facility design, operator certification, and reporting requirements intended to ensure public health and safety.

• The Division of Water Quality, which requires permits for all surface water and groundwater discharges to waters of the state, including the Great Salt Lake.

• The Division of Water Rights, which evaluates water availability. A water right change application was submitted on March 25 and withdrawn on May 6; the applicant has indicated an intent to refile with additional information. Every water rights application is subject to a 20-day public comment period.

• The Division of Wildlife Resources, which can review potential impacts to wildlife and recommend mitigation measures once a formal plan is submitted. For projects on public land, that review is typically conducted through the Resource Development Coordinating Committee — a state-level body that serves as a clearinghouse for proposals affecting Utah's public lands and natural resources.

Development will proceed in phases over multiple years, with continued planning, infrastructure coordination, state regulatory permitting, and community engagement throughout the process. MIDA will also establish a Design Review Committee, as it has for other MIDA project areas. The DRC will be made up largely of Box Elder County expert staff and a local landowner, and its meetings will be open to the public.

Public comment opportunities are also built into the state regulatory process — including a 20-day public comment period for water rights applications, a 30-day comment period and a public hearing (if requested) on Division of Air Quality draft permits, and a public notice process at the Division of Water Quality.