Tucson Residents Revolt Against Massive Data Center Project Threatening Water and Energy Supplies

In the summer of 2025, a controversial plan to build a massive $3.6 billion data center in Tucson, Arizona has roiled the desert city. The proposed 290-acre "Project Blue" data center would become the biggest development ever in Pima County, but has faced stiff pushback from the local community over its enormous water and electricity demands.

The project, proposed by San Francisco-based Beale Infrastructure, was initially kept under wraps until June 2025, when the county board of supervisors narrowly agreed to sell and rezone land for the development. This sparked an immediate backlash, as residents grew concerned about the project's impact on the region's scarce water resources and energy grid.

After two public meetings in early August 2025 where community members voiced their opposition, the city council unanimously voted to discontinue discussions with Beale. Tucsonans packed the council chambers, cheering the decision and booing the stunned Beale executives as they left.

While Beale has since proposed an alternative air-cooled design that uses less water, the controversy has had a profound impact on Tucson politics. The secretive nature of the initial planning process and lack of transparency from both the developer and local officials have eroded public trust. The saga has also raised the possibility that Tucson may consider pursuing a public utility to replace the private Tucson Electric Power, which has faced scrutiny for its involvement with the project.