# Watt’s the Problem with Data Centers? The Truth About Energy Use, Costs, and the Panic Over Progress

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/john-stossel-on-odysee-5955553/watt-s-the-problem-with-data-centers-the-truth-about-energy-use-costs-and-the-panic-over-progress
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/john-stossel-on-odysee-5955553/watt-s-the-problem-with-data-centers-the-truth-about-energy-use-costs-and-the-panic-over-progress.md
Podcast: [John Stossel on Odysee](https://stenobird.com/podcast/john-stossel-on-odysee-5955553)
Published: 2026-05-05T11:30:47+00:00
Episode link: https://odysee.com/watt%E2%80%99s-the-problem-with-data-centers:b3379642fe6ff6a83faa4f1f1575bf9ab553e306
Audio file: https://odysee.com/$/rss/media/watt%E2%80%99s-the-problem-with-data-centers/b3379642fe6ff6a83faa4f1f1575bf9ab553e306/3071d2.mp4
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/john-stossel-on-odysee-5955553/episodes/watt-s-the-problem-with-data-centers-the-truth-about-energy-use-costs-and-the-panic-over-progress
Duration seconds: 347

## Resource

Activists are angry about data centers. They call them “uniquely evil.” One activist even shot a politician’s house 13 times. Why the hate? Because Data centers use lots of water and electricity. But we need them! They store and process everything we do online. _ _ _ _ _ _ To make sure you receive weekly video from Stossel TV, sign up here: https://www.johnstossel.com/#subscribe-form _ _ _ _ _ _ There’s more demand for data centers now as more people use AI. Activists complain they “use resources like a madman.” "They are resource-intensive, but so are most productive things we’ve done in human history,” argues Paige Lambermont of the Competitive Enterprise Institute. People worry about increased electricity costs. But so far, research shows data centers haven’t caused significant price increases “Prices in Virginia are rising more slowly than they are some other places,” says Lambermont, "even though…more data centers are in northern Virginia than anywhere else.” So why is electricity so expensive? Because of government, not data centers. See why in my video above. ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUgooIHuDC8

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