Kevin O'Leary's 'Stratos' AI Data Center in Utah Approved for Nearly 9 GW of Power, Double State's Current Demand
April 29, 2026
Kevin O'Leary's 'Stratos' AI Data Center in Utah Approved for Nearly 9 GW of Power, Double State's Current Demand
A massive artificial intelligence data center project in Utah, led by billionaire investor Kevin O'Leary—known as "Mr. Wonderful" from ABC's Shark Tank—has received provisional approval from the state's Military Installation Development Authority (MIDA). The project, dubbed Stratos, is estimated to consume nearly 9 gigawatts of power, more than double Utah's current statewide electricity demand of approximately 4 GW. The proposal now awaits a final vote from Box Elder County officials, expected on Monday.
According to The Salt Lake Tribune, the Stratos development will span roughly 41,200 acres in an unincorporated area of western Box Elder County, including about 40,000 acres of private land and 1,200 acres of military and state-owned property. O'Leary Digital, O'Leary's firm, is the lead developer. During a video conference with MIDA on Friday, O'Leary presented the blueprint, which includes plans for an on-site power plant. He emphasized that the approach aligns with directives from former President Donald Trump encouraging tech companies to generate their own electricity to meet surging AI-related demand. "Time is critical if the US hopes to compete with China in the AI race," O'Leary urged officials, pressing for swift approval.
The project's first phase will feature a 3 GW power plant connected to the Ruby Pipeline, a 680-mile interstate natural gas line running from Wyoming to Oregon via northern Utah. MIDA executive director Paul Morris assured county commissioners that the facility "will not take one electron" from the existing grid and could eventually feed surplus power back into the system. To secure the project, MIDA has already reduced the energy use tax from the standard 6% to 0.5% and waived 80% of property tax revenue, citing the potential creation of an estimated 2,000 permanent jobs at the facility.
In a Facebook post in February, O'Leary praised Utah Governor Spencer Cox and three unnamed senators for being "pro-business (and) pro-data center," amid growing protests from rural communities over the rapid expansion of energy-intensive AI data centers nationwide. He noted the project would require "every incentive" it can get as he works to raise billions of dollars to fund both the power plant and the data centers. O'Leary argued that the substantial government subsidies are justified by the thousands of jobs the facility would create, the boost to the local economy, and the attraction of additional supporting businesses to the state.
Source: techspot
