US data centers use enough electricity to power upwards of 16 million homes annually – the statistics on why opposition groups are pushing for People Over Profit

A toy robot with the word "Thanks" written on paper standing in front of basket of money.

So far in 2026, almost half of all planned data centers in the US have been delayed or cancelled, with the barriers ranging from chip shortages to insufficient energy infrastructure.

But local opposition is quickly becoming a new force that developers have to reckon with, especially after a single movement in Box Elder county, Utah, gained global attention.