Zage Business of Energy Initiative

What can data centers do? Greater transparency, community engagement, and corporate social responsibility (CSR) may make a difference. Stay tuned for more findings to come in the months ahead.

In less than four years, AI compute has gone from widely celebrated to widely opposed. Today, a majority of U.S. voters across both parties oppose new data center build, with NIMBY intensity now surpassing that of nuclear energy in the early 1980s.

Delighted to present our latest research on the rising opposition to data centers at the 2026 Academy of Management Conference. As AI compute investment grows, so does the need for infrastructure to meet demand.

Full report here: drive.google.com/file/d/1IWo…

In sum, data centers have a small impact on wholesale prices and even smaller effect on retail rates for most customers. #datacenter #powerprices

Notably, the residential price impact occurs only for customers of electric cooperatives and municipal utilities. There is no significant effect on investor-owned utilities’ (IOUs) retail rates, which serve 68% of the U.S. population.

--Retail markets-- A doubling of a utility's operating data-center capacity is associated with ~ 0.65% increase in residential prices, or $1.00–$1.06/MWh. There is no measurable impact on commercial or industrial rates.

--Wholesale markets-- Data-center entry is associated with higher local congestion costs of approximately $1.45–$2.30/MWh, and an overall wholesale price increase of approximately $3.44/MWh in the year following entry.

Do data centers increase electricity prices? Our latest report from @USCEnergy answers this question. We examine data center entry on wholesale (2020-2025) and retail electric prices (2015-2025) in the United States.

A vibrant exchange on national energy trends and Utah's "Operation Gigawatt" with Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson and her team as well as other local municipal leaders.

Utah has great potential for growth in energy and mineral production while protecting the environment.

It was pleasure to join discussions on data centers, "Operation Gigawatt", energy, and water in Utah at the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute and with Salt Lake County.

#Utah currently has 48 operational data centers drawing 920 MW of power, with an additional 2,600 MW now under construction. The dialogues explored how to meet that growing power demand while navigating the state's air quality and water challenges.

Utah faces a risk of power shortages as data center and manufacturing demand rises, baseload generation comes offline, and new sources are not fast enough to come online.

Many thanks to moderator Natalie Gochnour and fellow panelists Darin Knapp, Paul Cutler, and Bill Anderegg as well as Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson and her team for the engaging and informative exchange.

Utah leads the nation in #beryllium, #magnesium, and is home to a tier 1 #copper mine with full vertical integration from mining to smelting and refining.

We had a productive conversation on how industry, policy, and infrastructure can align to secure the critical minerals powering our energy and digital future.

With significant potential in heavy rare earths, #lithium, and #uranium, the state is well positioned to lead in the current commodity super cycle.

In #Utah this week discussing energy, data centers, and the mineral supply chains with Brian Somers, President of the @Utah_Mining, and Burke Olsen @burkeo, Publisher of the @Deseret.