# Infrastructure — AI updates

Data centers, power, and the physical build-out of AI — increasingly where energy, not algorithms, is the binding constraint.

- [Flex buys data-center power maker EPC Power for $4.4 billion](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/flex-buys-data-center-power-maker-epc-power-for-4-4-billion-51dbc4) (2026-09-04, Data Center Dynamics): Manufacturing giant Flex is acquiring EPC Power, a developer of 800-volt power conversion architecture used in data centers, in a deal worth $4.4 billion.
- [California passes bills to shield ratepayers from data center power costs](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/california-passes-bills-to-shield-ratepayers-from-data-center-power-cost-fdcdc8) (2026-09-03, Data Center Dynamics): California lawmakers passed bills that would create separate electricity tariffs for large data centers, sending the legislation to the governor for approval. The measures aim to protect residential ratepayers from bearing data center power costs.
- [ChatGPT, Claude, Grok and Gemini suffer simultaneous outages](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/chatgpt-claude-grok-and-gemini-suffer-simultaneous-outages-c8eed1) (2026-09-03, Ars Technica): ChatGPT, Claude, Grok, and Gemini all experienced service interruptions at nearly the same time. The cause of the overlapping downtime has not been officially explained by any of the companies.
- [Crusoe raises $3B at $30B valuation after Jane Street deal](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/crusoe-raises-3b-at-30b-valuation-after-jane-street-deal-1bd29f) (2026-09-04, TechCrunch): Data center developer Crusoe reportedly raised $3 billion at a $30 billion valuation. The round reportedly came together after Crusoe secured a $13 billion contract with trading firm Jane Street.
- [Google signs largest-ever geothermal power deal, 396MW with Fervo](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/google-signs-largest-ever-geothermal-power-deal-396mw-with-fervo-d985b4) (2026-09-02, Data Center Dynamics): Google has signed a 396-megawatt power purchase agreement with geothermal developer Fervo Energy in Utah, described as the largest geothermal offtake deal in the sector to date. The deal is meant to supply clean, always-on power for Google's data centers.
- [AI agents now consume more tokens than humans on OpenRouter](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/ai-agents-now-consume-more-tokens-than-humans-on-openrouter-4d49c8) (2026-08-23, The Decoder): AI agents have consumed more tokens than human users on OpenRouter since February 2025, with agentic usage growing 14x since then versus 2.8x growth in human usage. Nearly 70% of agent token consumption comes from cheap cached prompts, so actual infrastructure costs are rising more slowly than the raw token volume suggests.
- [Data center opposition escalates to death threats against officials](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/data-center-opposition-escalates-to-death-threats-against-officials-28238e) (2026-08-23, Tom's Hardware): A Soufan Center IntelBrief found hundreds of posts containing threat language directed at officials over AI data center projects between July 2025 and July 2026, with volume surging starting in April. More than 500 towns have now restricted data center construction, with some councils shutting down public comment sessions entirely.
- [Nvidia to raise AI server prices about 15% on memory shortage](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/nvidia-to-raise-ai-server-prices-about-15-on-memory-shortage-7fd7fe) (2026-08-23, Tom's Hardware): Nvidia has told major customers it will raise prices roughly 15% on Grace Blackwell and Vera Rubin AI server systems shipping in early 2027, driven by a DRAM shortage from Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron. The increases will hit large cloud buyers including Microsoft, Google, and Meta, which rely on these systems for AI data center buildouts.
- [Most 2026 governor candidates now have a data center stance](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/most-2026-governor-candidates-now-have-a-data-center-stance-e33c31) (2026-08-21, Data Center Dynamics): A new count finds that 80% of Democratic and Republican candidates for governor have publicly staked out a position on data centers. The finding reflects data centers becoming an active campaign issue rather than a background infrastructure topic.
- [LG enters chip packaging with new laser imaging machine](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/lg-enters-chip-packaging-with-new-laser-imaging-machine-4b3b96) (2026-08-21, Tom's Hardware): LG has rolled out a laser direct imaging (LDI) lithography machine for chip packaging and high-density PCBs, a maskless process that trades some resolution for higher throughput. It arrives as TSMC's CoWoS advanced-packaging capacity, used to package AI accelerators like Nvidia's GPUs, remains constrained.
- [Starcloud raises $250M to build data centers in orbit](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/starcloud-raises-250m-to-build-data-centers-in-orbit-ef378a) (2026-08-21, TechCrunch Startups): Space-based data center startup Starcloud raised a $250 million round as competition for satellite launch capacity intensifies. The company is betting on off-planet compute as terrestrial data center siting and power become harder to secure.
- [US data center opposition nearly doubled in one year](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/us-data-center-opposition-nearly-doubled-in-one-year-7ca508) (2026-08-21, The Decoder): A Heatmap News survey finds 75% of Americans now oppose having a data center built near them, up from an even split about a year ago. 61% describe themselves as "strongly opposed."
- [White House drops data centers from critical tech list](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/white-house-drops-data-centers-from-critical-tech-list-499847) (2026-08-19, Tom's Hardware): The White House removed data centers, batteries, and augmented reality from the US critical and emerging technologies list, its first rewrite since February 2024. New additions include post-quantum cryptography, integrated photonics, and high-entropy alloys.
- [Startup raises $22M for faster data center fiber tech](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/startup-raises-22m-for-faster-data-center-fiber-tech-dc5023) (2026-08-19, TechCrunch): Relativity Networks raised $22 million to commercialize hollow-core fiber, a rarely deployed technology. The company says it can transmit data 30% faster than conventional fiber.
- [Largest US grid operator wants to cut power to data centers first](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/largest-us-grid-operator-wants-to-cut-power-to-data-centers-first-0ea641) (2026-08-17, Tom's Hardware): PJM Interconnection, which manages the largest power grid in the US, has asked federal regulators to approve rules that would curtail electricity to new data centers before cutting power to households during shortages. Data centers over 50MW would also be required to bring their own backup generation to avoid being shut off.
- [Cherokee Nation bans hyperscale data centers on its lands](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/cherokee-nation-bans-hyperscale-data-centers-on-its-lands-16d055) (2026-08-17, Tom's Hardware): The Cherokee Nation, with more than 475,000 citizens, has banned hyperscale data center development on its tribally owned and trust lands, and says it won't support such projects without prior consultation. Cited concerns include energy and water consumption, air quality, noise, and protection of cultural resources.
- [Nvidia reportedly in talks to invest $3B in SB Energy for OpenAI campus](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/nvidia-reportedly-in-talks-to-invest-3b-in-sb-energy-for-openai-campus-784e56) (2026-08-17, Data Center Dynamics): Nvidia is reportedly considering investing up to $3 billion in SB Energy to help build power infrastructure for a data center campus in Ohio that could scale up to 10 gigawatts. The campus is intended to support OpenAI's compute buildout.
- [Southern Co reports 55% jump in data center power demand](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/southern-co-reports-55-jump-in-data-center-power-demand-f5ca09) (2026-08-14, Data Center Dynamics): US utility Southern Co reported data center power usage up 55% year-over-year, according to Data Center Dynamics. The company also cited a 6GW surge in its contracted large-load pipeline.
- [CoreWeave, Nebius, Cerebras post Q2 growth but wider losses](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/coreweave-nebius-cerebras-post-q2-growth-but-wider-losses-1a0fad) (2026-08-14, Data Center Dynamics): CoreWeave, Nebius, and Cerebras all reported revenue growth in Q2 2026, according to Data Center Dynamics, but losses widened across the AI-cloud "neocloud" providers.
- [Forecast: natural gas price spike could hit AI data center costs](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/forecast-natural-gas-price-spike-could-hit-ai-data-center-costs-c4f9e5) (2026-08-14, TechCrunch): A new forecast suggests natural gas prices could triple in parts of the US, according to TechCrunch. That would raise costs significantly for hyperscalers that have turned to gas-fired power to meet surging AI data center energy demand.
- [Lightmatter leads 19-company push to standardize photonics](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/lightmatter-leads-19-company-push-to-standardize-photonics-69c8b2) (2026-08-13, Data Center Dynamics): Lightmatter launched an industry initiative with 19 companies to standardize infrastructure for silicon-photonics-ready data centers, accompanied by a 300-page whitepaper.
- [China's YMTC cracks top-3 NAND makers as AI demand reshapes market](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/china-s-ymtc-cracks-top-3-nand-makers-as-ai-demand-reshapes-market-2d84a9) (2026-08-12, Tom's Hardware): YMTC has become the world's third-largest NAND flash maker with 14% market share, behind Samsung (25%) and SK hynix (22%), and ahead of Micron. The report attributes the shift partly to AI servers, which now account for 48% of all flash storage demand.
- [Silicon photonics becomes a flashpoint in US-China chip policy](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/silicon-photonics-becomes-a-flashpoint-in-us-china-chip-policy-f5ed48) (2026-08-12, Tom's Hardware): Optical interconnects and silicon photonics have emerged as a critical, fast-growing component in AI data centers, used to move data between GPU clusters at high speed. Ahead of a US-China summit, the US reportedly wants to exclude Chinese-made optical transceivers from future AI data centers, but China currently dominates the photonics supply chain.
- [IBM and Together AI sign $240M Nvidia GPU cloud deal](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/ibm-and-together-ai-sign-240m-nvidia-gpu-cloud-deal-854a69) (2026-08-12, Data Center Dynamics): IBM and Together AI signed a $240 million deal to deploy Nvidia HGX B300 GPU clusters for cloud AI compute. The cluster is expected to go live in Q1 2027.
- [CoreWeave keeps 2020-era Nvidia GPUs profitable, signs A100 deals to 2029](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/coreweave-keeps-2020-era-nvidia-gpus-profitable-signs-a100-deals-to-2029-6af418) (2026-08-12, Tom's Hardware): CoreWeave reported $2.58 billion in quarterly revenue, up 112% year over year, and says its Nvidia A100 GPUs deployed in 2020 remain profitable nine years later. The company has signed A100 contracts extending into 2029.
- [AI data center developers sue local governments over building bans](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/ai-data-center-developers-sue-local-governments-over-building-bans-2c4bbb) (2026-08-12, Tom's Hardware): Data center developers have begun suing local jurisdictions over bans and moratoriums on new construction, arguing officials exceeded their authority and violated due process and equal protection rights. The pressure has already led at least one county to reverse its ban, while other cases remain in court.
- [Oracle plans more layoffs after burning through restructuring budget](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/oracle-plans-more-layoffs-after-burning-through-restructuring-budget-e8c65c) (2026-08-12, Tom's Hardware): Oracle is reportedly planning further job cuts this month, with some teams facing double-digit percentage reductions. The company has already eliminated 21,000 full-time positions and spent most of its $2.1 billion restructuring budget.
- [Texas grid interconnection pause threatens 20% of US data centers](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/texas-grid-interconnection-pause-threatens-20-of-us-data-centers-9b1968) (2026-08-12, Data Center Dynamics): Bloomberg NEF estimates that a recent pause on new grid interconnections in Texas, ordered by the state's governor, puts roughly 20% of the entire US data center development pipeline at risk. The pause blocks new facilities from connecting to the grid while the state reassesses capacity.
- [GIC and Macquarie form venture to build Anthropic data centers](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/gic-and-macquarie-form-venture-to-build-anthropic-data-centers-580419) (2026-08-11, Data Center Dynamics): Singapore's GIC and Macquarie Asset Management created Theseus Infrastructure, a new platform dedicated to developing data center capacity for Anthropic, focused initially on the US.
- [Nvidia backs $500B fund to finance AI data center buildouts](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/nvidia-backs-500b-fund-to-finance-ai-data-center-buildouts-144174) (2026-08-11, The Decoder): Nvidia is partnering with Apollo, BlackRock, Blackstone, Brookfield, Goldman Sachs, and KKR to mobilize over $500 billion in financing for AI infrastructure. To attract investors, Nvidia is guaranteeing up to 25% of the residual value of its own chips used as collateral. The Bank of England has already warned of systemic risk if the AI sector underperforms.
- [Anthropic leases $9.1B in data center capacity from bitcoin miner Riot](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/anthropic-leases-9-1b-in-data-center-capacity-from-bitcoin-miner-riot-4fac8b) (2026-08-11, The Decoder): Anthropic is leasing data center capacity from Bitcoin miner Riot Platforms, covering 191 megawatts at Riot's Rockdale, Texas site and worth $9.1 billion, according to Bloomberg. Extension options could push the total value to $16.1 billion. The deal is part of a broader infrastructure push that also includes Amazon, SpaceX, and Google as partners.
- [Virginia orders Dominion Energy to bill data centers for their own transmission costs](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/virginia-orders-dominion-energy-to-bill-data-centers-for-their-own-trans-be3000) (2026-08-10, Data Center Dynamics): Virginia regulators ordered Dominion Energy to directly assign transmission costs to data centers rather than spreading them across all ratepayers. The order follows growing scrutiny from state regulators over AI-driven electricity demand.
- [Amazon buys Texas site for 7.65GW gas-powered AI data center](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/amazon-buys-texas-site-for-7-65gw-gas-powered-ai-data-center-937491) (2026-08-10, Data Center Dynamics): Amazon has reportedly acquired an 8,000-acre site in Pecos, Texas, to build a data center powered by an on-site natural gas plant. If built, the plant could become the largest natural gas power plant in the US at 7.65 gigawatts.
- [Hyperscalers pledge nearly $2 trillion for AI hardware](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/hyperscalers-pledge-nearly-2-trillion-for-ai-hardware-83fc0d) (2026-08-10, Tom's Hardware): Major cloud service providers have committed close to $2 trillion in long-term purchase agreements for AI hardware and memory. Google leads the spending surge at $811 billion, while Apple trails other large tech companies at $57 billion.
- [US local bans on AI data centers top 500, analysis finds](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/us-local-bans-on-ai-data-centers-top-500-analysis-finds-49f7c8) (2026-08-10, Tom's Hardware): An analysis found that local bans and restrictions on new AI data center developments across the US surpassed 500 in July 2026. The increase reflects growing bipartisan political and public pressure, as local officials increasingly block or restrict big tech's data center expansion plans.
- [Kansas city cancels public comment after AI data center death threats](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/kansas-city-cancels-public-comment-after-ai-data-center-death-threats-49467c) (2026-08-09, Tom's Hardware): Emporia, Kansas moved its city council meetings to virtual-only format after officials received death threats tied to a planned gigawatt-scale AI data center, a change that also eliminated in-person public comment. The shift follows the arrest of a physics teacher for clapping during a data center hearing.
- [Amazon's planned Texas AI data center could be a top US CO2 source](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/amazon-s-planned-texas-ai-data-center-could-be-a-top-us-co2-source-001d26) (2026-08-09, Tom's Hardware): Amazon is reportedly building a custom 7.65GW natural gas power plant with 35 turbines in Texas to power a new AI data center. Permits reportedly allow up to 33 million tons of CO2 emissions per year, which would make it one of the largest single sources of CO2 emissions in the US.
- [SpaceX and Tesla start building $16.8B Terafab chip facility](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/spacex-and-tesla-start-building-16-8b-terafab-chip-facility-c8b3b0) (2026-08-07, Tom's Hardware): SpaceX and Tesla have begun construction on Terafab, a chip-manufacturing facility spanning roughly 100 million square feet with an initial capital investment of $16.8 billion. The companies say it will be about three times larger than Samsung's Pyeongtaek campus.
- [Samsung unveils three new memory technologies for AI data centers](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/samsung-unveils-three-new-memory-technologies-for-ai-data-centers-7e81be) (2026-08-06, Tom's Hardware): Samsung used the FMS conference to announce three next-generation memory technologies for AI infrastructure: zHBM, zNAND-O, and BV-NAND. All three rely on advanced wafer-bonding techniques and target different parts of the AI data center memory stack.
- [Cloudflare launches Kitesurf, a Chromium-free browser built for AI agents](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/cloudflare-launches-kitesurf-a-chromium-free-browser-built-for-ai-agents-429bb6) (2026-08-06, MarkTechPost): Cloudflare released Kitesurf, a stateless web browser designed for AI agents that runs entirely in V8 isolates on Cloudflare Workers instead of using Chromium. Built in 12 weeks with Rust components, it passes over 215,000 Web Platform Tests and uses 3-4x less CPU and 5-7x less memory than Chromium for tasks like screenshots and HTML extraction. It works as a drop-in option for existing Puppeteer, Playwright, and Model Context Protocol (MCP) clients, free during beta.
- [Virginia now makes data centers pay for their own grid upgrades](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/virginia-now-makes-data-centers-pay-for-their-own-grid-upgrades-240b8b) (2026-08-06, Tom's Hardware): Virginia's public utility regulator now requires data center developers to pay for all dedicated upstream electrical infrastructure their projects need, instead of spreading the cost to other ratepayers. The governor says the move follows a 76% rise in electricity prices tied to AI data center demand.
- [AWS abandons data center plan next to Maryland nuclear plant](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/aws-abandons-data-center-plan-next-to-maryland-nuclear-plant-ba1c7f) (2026-08-05, Data Center Dynamics): AWS has withdrawn its plans for the Calvert Technology Center, a data center campus it had proposed building next to a nuclear power plant in Maryland. The company gave no detailed public reason for the pullout.
- [CoreWeave and Leidos to build sovereign AI cloud for US intelligence](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/coreweave-and-leidos-to-build-sovereign-ai-cloud-for-us-intelligence-39a537) (2026-08-03, Data Center Dynamics): CoreWeave is partnering with defense contractor Leidos to develop secure, sovereign AI cloud services for the US intelligence community. Scope and timeline were not disclosed.
- [Nuclear startup Valar Atomics raises $1B tied to Nvidia deal](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/nuclear-startup-valar-atomics-raises-1b-tied-to-nvidia-deal-7cf738) (2026-08-03, TechCrunch Startups): Valar Atomics raised $1 billion at a $6 billion valuation in a round led by Sequoia's Shaun Maguire. The raise follows a development deal the company signed with Nvidia in June.
- [Oregon governor blocks a data center land sale over local pushback](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/oregon-governor-blocks-a-data-center-land-sale-over-local-pushback-df6a3a) (2026-08-03, Data Center Dynamics): Oregon Governor Tina Kotek stopped a planned land sale in Salem to developer Verrus, halting a proposed data center project. The move follows growing state-level scrutiny of AI-driven data center expansion.
- [TSMC, Intel, Samsung, GlobalFoundries diverge on AI optical chip links](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/tsmc-intel-samsung-globalfoundries-diverge-on-ai-optical-chip-links-6b5b0f) (2026-08-03, Tom's Hardware): As AI accelerators outgrow copper interconnects, the four major foundries are pursuing distinct co-packaged optics (CPO) strategies to move optical connectivity closer to compute. Their approaches differ on integration method and timeline.
- [xAI to remove unpermitted power turbines within a year](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/xai-to-remove-unpermitted-power-turbines-within-a-year-a1808f) (2026-08-02, Tom's Hardware): xAI said it will remove all 69 of its unpermitted turbine power generators, a process expected to take about a year. The trailer-mounted turbines, at the center of a pollution and permitting lawsuit, will be replaced by a new 1.2-gigawatt power plant.
- [LinkedIn holds off on data center expansion despite AI boom](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/linkedin-holds-off-on-data-center-expansion-despite-ai-boom-05f8ef) (2026-07-30, WIRED): LinkedIn says it does not plan to expand its data centers over the next year, even as AI infrastructure spending surges industry-wide. The company says it is instead focused on getting engineers to make more efficient use of existing GPU capacity.
- [Google-backed fusion startup CFS raises $1 billion](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/google-backed-fusion-startup-cfs-raises-1-billion-77bdc6) (2026-07-30, Data Center Dynamics): Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS), backed by Google, raised $1 billion in new equity financing. The round brings its total funding to $4 billion, the most raised by any fusion company to date.
- [Microsoft brought 88 data centers online in fiscal 2026](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/microsoft-brought-88-data-centers-online-in-fiscal-2026-fc36b6) (2026-07-30, Data Center Dynamics): Microsoft said it activated 88 new data centers during fiscal year 2026, disclosed alongside its Q4 and full-year earnings report. The figure was cited as part of the company's broader AI infrastructure buildout.
- [Verizon signs $1B dark fiber deal for Google data centers](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/verizon-signs-1b-dark-fiber-deal-for-google-data-centers-0f63b5) (2026-07-27, Ars Technica): Verizon announced a $1 billion dark fiber deal to connect Google data centers, which it says is the first of several similar agreements. The company expects meaningful AI-driven revenue from leasing fiber and retrofitting facilities for data center connectivity.
- [California AI data center sued over Colorado River water rights](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/california-ai-data-center-sued-over-colorado-river-water-rights-b96e23) (2026-07-27, Tom's Hardware): A large California AI data center project is being sued over its request to draw 287 million gallons of Colorado River water, about 0.03% of the Imperial Valley's supply. Plaintiffs argue the project's water use is disproportionate to the jobs it would create relative to the farmland it displaces.
- [Meta reportedly exits RE100 renewable energy pledge](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/meta-reportedly-exits-re100-renewable-energy-pledge-28123e) (2026-07-27, Data Center Dynamics): Meta has reportedly left the RE100 climate initiative, which commits members to sourcing 100% renewable electricity. The move comes alongside an increase in the company's natural gas procurement, likely tied to AI data center power needs.
- [Data center load drop destabilized PJM power grid, report says](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/data-center-load-drop-destabilized-pjm-power-grid-report-says-635d41) (2026-07-24, Data Center Dynamics): A data center's load abruptly dropped offline and triggered a voltage disturbance on the PJM grid, the operator serving a large part of the eastern US. The grid reportedly took about ten minutes to stabilize afterward.
- [Environmental groups threaten suit over gas-powered Texas data centers](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/environmental-groups-threaten-suit-over-gas-powered-texas-data-centers-3eb027) (2026-07-24, Data Center Dynamics): The Environmental Integrity Project, Sierra Club, and Public Citizen filed a notice of intent to sue Vantage and VoltaGrid over off-grid, natural-gas-powered data centers in San Antonio, Texas. The groups argue the facilities' emissions violate environmental law.
- [Trump EPA weighs rule cutting public input on AI data centers](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/trump-epa-weighs-rule-cutting-public-input-on-ai-data-centers-e77c78) (2026-07-24, Ars Technica): The Trump administration's EPA is reportedly considering a rule that would let states decide how much public input, if any, communities get before new data centers are approved. AI companies have been pushing for faster approval of data center capacity to meet compute demand.
- [Trump expands data center power cost pledge to states, utilities](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/trump-expands-data-center-power-cost-pledge-to-states-utilities-9c6fc7) (2026-07-24, Tom's Hardware): President Trump expanded his AI data center "ratepayer protection pledge" to include state governors, utility companies, and data center developers, with the administration claiming it will lower electricity costs. The expansion comes as grid operator PJM Interconnection raised power costs 75.5% and billed Maryland $2 billion for infrastructure upgrades.
- [Idaho National Lab, Nvidia, AWS launch AI-for-nuclear project](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/idaho-national-lab-nvidia-aws-launch-ai-for-nuclear-project-6b42c4) (2026-07-23, Data Center Dynamics): Idaho National Laboratory, Nvidia, and AWS have launched the Prometheus project under the US government's Genesis Mission initiative. The project aims to use AI to speed up advanced nuclear reactor development and deployment.
- [AI data center protests spread to 42 US states](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/ai-data-center-protests-spread-to-42-us-states-6e515e) (2026-07-23, Tom's Hardware): Organizers say 142 protests against AI data center construction have been staged across 42 states, citing power costs, water use, and lack of community consent. Opposition is increasingly slowing or blocking new site approvals.
- [MGX, AIP, and BlackRock's GIP complete $40B data center buyout](https://www.parallelquant.com/posts/mgx-aip-and-blackrock-s-gip-complete-40b-data-center-buyout-2bb5c7) (2026-07-22, Data Center Dynamics): A consortium of MGX, AIP, and BlackRock's Global Infrastructure Partners has completed a $40 billion acquisition of Aligned Data Centers, the largest data center deal on record.

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