New 7.5-Gigawatt Data Center Complex Proposed in Utah
The Stratos Project aims to utilize a high-efficiency closed-loop water system to support 11 data center clusters.
Updated on Oct. 16, 2026 in Data Centers
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O'Leary Digital Utah DC Sub I, LLC has submitted a water permit application for the Stratos Project, a massive facility in Box Elder County. The proposal includes 11 data center clusters supported by a 7.5-gigawatt power generation facility.
Why it matters
The project signals a significant shift in industrial water usage in Utah, with developers aiming to prove that their closed-loop water system consumes less resources than previous agricultural activities on the site.
The proposed facility relies on fifteen 500-megawatt combined-cycle natural gas power blocks. It utilizes a closed recycle loop system designed to achieve 90% water recovery with only 10% freshwater makeup.
The players
O'Leary Digital Utah DC Sub I, LLC
The development entity responsible for the Stratos Project and its proposed 11-cluster data center infrastructure.
Utah Division of Water Rights
The state regulatory body responsible for evaluating water permit applications and managing the public protest and advertising process.
The details
The facility plans to use a closed recycle loop to manage the high cooling demands of the data centers and the power generation plant. A combined-cycle natural gas power plant — a system that recovers waste heat from a gas turbine to generate additional electricity through a steam turbine — would provide the 7.5-gigawatt load. The developers state this design consumes less water than the historical agricultural use of the 154-acre site, potentially allowing for increased water flow to the Great Salt Lake.
Timeline
October 15, 2026: Application submitted to the Utah Division of Water Rights.
Post-submission: A two-week public advertising period follows.
Post-submission: A 20-day protest period will occur after the advertising period.
The Tech Race
This project represents one of the largest proposed data center and power generation footprints in the western United States. It positions itself against the regional scarcity of water by attempting to prove that industrial recycling loops can outperform historical agricultural demands.
The application triggers a mandatory two-week public advertising phase and a 20-day protest window for residents in the area. If approved, the project aims to support 4,850 staff members at the Box Elder County site.
The takeaway
The project hinges on the claim that its water-recycling technology will result in more water reaching the Great Salt Lake than current agricultural use. Residents should monitor the Utah Division of Water Rights portal for the start of the 20-day protest period following the public advertising window.
Further reading
For broader trends in infrastructure energy and water consumption, visit Data Centers.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KSL.
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