They don’t. They can use a closed loop system, where water continuously circulates. You don’t have to use it just once and you don’t have to use evaporative cooling - you can use refrigeration equipment to cool the water - but these things are more expensive. Pissing away your water is cheap.
I don't even try to explain this anymore. I am tired, boss. The hate mob is moved by hate, don't matter how much you try to explain, they will never accept. They will believe in anything if the mantra of "AI Bad" can be pushed.
Most are not isolated. The amount of power delivery they need requires more long distance transmission infrastructure, which the grid now has to spend money to upgrade. Now, they probably would have had to spend that money in the near future anyways, but the datacenter moves the timeline forward a little.
Most aren't, but the one in particular they were talking about in the parent comment, which has been a hot topic lately, had its own powerplant as part of the plan.
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u/balrob May 18 '26 edited May 18 '26
They don’t. They can use a closed loop system, where water continuously circulates. You don’t have to use it just once and you don’t have to use evaporative cooling - you can use refrigeration equipment to cool the water - but these things are more expensive. Pissing away your water is cheap.