Data Centers

All the action has been along the Front Range. Could places like Craig, Fort Morgan and Pagosa Springs be part of the story going forward?

A new data center campus is currently under construction in Elyria-Swansea — a neighborhood already struggling with pollution from major highways and Colorado’s only oil and gas refinery.

Artificial intelligence is increasingly creeping into our lives. And in support of that super technology, nondescript data centers are popping up in cities, towns and even near cattle ranches. They require lots of power — creating new challenges for utilities.

Maybe, but even the ones that want to be environmentally friendly face energy challenges.

AI data centers use large amounts of water for cooling. And many are being built in the drought-stricken Mountain West, sparking concerns over water supplies.