SALT LAKE CITY (May 4, 2026) — Today, Sutherland Institute released Building a Human-Centered Digital Future, Part 1: Data Centers, the first in a new series of policy reports designed to help legislators, voters, and civic leaders quickly understand complex technology issues and engage more thoughtfully in policy discussions.
The new report from Sutherland’s Ford Copple and Derek Monson explains how data centers support modern digital life, including artificial intelligence, social media, streaming services, and other tools Americans use every day. As demand for AI and digital services grows, data centers are becoming increasingly important to economic competitiveness, national security, and everyday life.
The report cautions against reflexive policymaking. While data centers raise legitimate questions about electricity costs, water use, and local infrastructure, Sutherland’s analysis finds that thoughtful governance can address those concerns without undermining innovation, investment, or long-term prosperity.
Key findings from the report include:
- Utah ranks seventh among states for current and planned data center growth, and sixth when only planned growth is considered.
- Data centers have generally not caused retail electricity rate increases, with one estimate attributing only a 0.007% to 0.08% increase in residential power bills to data centers.
- Data centers can use significant amounts of water, especially for cooling, but emerging technologies such as closed-loop systems and immersion cooling may reduce water reliance.
- “Technology policy is moving quickly,” said Derek Monson, executive director of Sutherland Institute and co-author of the report. “This series is meant to make complex topics more accessible without oversimplifying them. Data centers are a timely place to begin because they are the infrastructure behind tools that families, businesses, and communities increasingly rely on.”
“Policymakers should take seriously the real concerns about energy, water, and infrastructure,” Monson continued, “but their approach should be disciplined, based on evidence, and designed to protect ratepayers and natural resources while allowing innovation and investment to strengthen Utah’s future.”
Read the new report here: Building a Human-Centered Digital Future, Part 1: Data Centers
