Big Tech’s AI Expansion Sparks Massive Grid Strain & Community Backlash

Summary

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Podcast Summary: Brian Kilmeade Show

Episode: Big Tech’s AI Expansion Sparks Massive Grid Strain & Community Backlash
Date: July 23, 2026
Host: Brian Kilmeade
Guest Expert: Taylor Riggs, Co-Host of The Big Money Show

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Main Theme / Purpose

This episode centers around the rapid expansion of Big Tech’s artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure—specifically data centers—across the U.S., and the resulting strain on local power grids. The discussion explores community backlash, regulatory debates, and questions about how Big Tech can/should contribute to local economies, utilities, and public trust.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Data Centers and Power Demands

• (00:35) Chris Wright (clip):* “If you're going to use a gigawatt of power, build help support the building of more than a gigawatt of power. It's not just cover your own costs, it's improving the economics and the economic opportunities for the community around you...The signers of the ratepayer protection pledge have embraced this.”*
• Many data centers are being protested due to concerns that their massive energy use will drive up local utility bills—the so-called “ratepayer protection pledge” promises that data centers must support the grid, not just take from it.

2. Voluntary or Regulated? (01:12–02:21)

• Taylor Riggs:
  • Expresses skepticism about voluntary pledges from Big Tech and suggests stronger commitments are needed:
    “I think a lot of people don't trust Big Tech and they're looking at Mark Zuckerberg and they're thinking, yeah, a little pledge doesn't really work. We need more than that because we don't trust you.” (01:24)
  • Suggests increased transparency: Big Tech leaders should appear at local city council meetings to explain contributions to the grid, infrastructure upgrades, and water usage.
  • Notes this could drive “privatizing our utilities, which I love...create competition.”

3. Not-In-My-Backyard (NIMBY) Reactions & Comparisons

• Host points out that 40% of new data centers are being protested, often by residents concerned about their utility bills or neighborhood impact.
• Riggs compares backlash to that of solar/wind projects:
  “I'm confused. Where was all this outrage during, like solar power and wind farms?” (02:59)
• Suggestion that current protests are louder or possibly “synthetically generated” rather than organic community concern (03:21):
  Host: “I worry that it's synthetically generated. It's not Mr. And Mrs. Johnson going to a town hall...”

4. Location Flexibility for Data Centers & Economic Effects

• Data centers do not have to be near city centers; many are built in rural areas and are “self-contained,” sometimes adding resources back to the grid (02:42).
• Infrastructure and job concerns: Once built, data centers primarily offer temporary construction jobs—not sustained local employment (04:55).
  • Riggs: “All the pushback I get is those are temporary jobs. Once the data center’s up and running, you’ve destroyed my land and then you don’t need my electrician anymore.” (04:55)

5. Comparison with Energy Policy & Historic Decisions

• Fracking bans and pipeline controversies in New York and Massachusetts are invoked as examples of energy policy missteps that increased utility bills (03:53–04:34).
  • Host: “They have these huge solar farms in New York. But she will not build a data center in New York. Will not frack in New York.” (03:53)
  • Riggs discusses local resistance rooted in eminent domain and aesthetic concerns—countered by the argument for camouflaging data centers if possible (04:34):
    “If I can build a shrub around a data center and it’s off a highway...it helps power us in the future.”

6. Public Perception, Tech Responsibility, and Future Visions (05:35–06:42)

• Kilmeade shares the strong audience reactions (both for and against) to previous data center segments.
  • “Where did this come from? I just did a whole show. That was the one segment. I never thought twice about it. … We’re doing it again this weekend.” (05:35)
• Riggs calls for Big Tech to meet people “where they are,” at the local level:
  • “I want Big Tech to go down to local level and talk to people in their community. I don’t need Meta to put out a big national ad…no one person on technology has communicated to people about data centers.” (06:00)
• Futuristic suggestion: If “not in my backyard” is so strong, maybe SpaceX can put data centers in orbit.
  • “SpaceX wants to do data centers in space. …You’ll never have to look at them. They’ll all just be circling us in space.” (06:24)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Chris Wright (00:35): “Part of the ratepayer protection pledge is if you're going to use a gigawatt of power, build help support the building of more than a gigawatt of power.”
• Taylor Riggs (01:13): “We have come full circle with Big Tech. I think I was not a fan during COVID when a lot of us felt censored for having different opinions...I think a lot of people don't trust Big Tech…We need more than [a pledge] because we don't trust you.”
• Brian Kilmeade (03:21): “I worry that it’s synthetically generated. It's not Mr. And Mrs. Johnson going to a town hall and being described. …I worry about outside forces because we've already seen how it can manipulate through TikTok especially.”
• Taylor Riggs (04:55): “All the pushback I get is those are temporary jobs...you've destroyed my land and then you don't need my electrician anymore. …Again, I'm not saying that I want to ban data centers. That's just—I'm getting massive hate.”
• Kilmeade & Riggs (06:24): SpaceX as a solution to NIMBY: “SpaceX wants to do data centers in space...You'll never have to look at them.”

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:35 – Chris Wright describes the “ratepayer protection pledge”
• 01:12–02:21 – Riggs on trust, pledges, and the case for privatizing utilities
• 02:42 – Discussion of rural data centers and their self-sufficiency
• 03:13–03:53 – Comparison of data center outrage with solar/wind power, possible manipulation
• 03:53–04:34 – New York’s fracking/pipeline history and its power bill impact
• 04:55 – Riggs on temporary jobs and lasting community frustration
• 05:35–06:00 – Host on strong audience response to data center debate
• 06:00–06:24 – Riggs calls for local Big Tech engagement and futuristic “space data centers” NIMBY solution

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Summary & Tone

The conversation is lively, candid, and at times skeptical—both about Big Tech’s motives and about reactionary public sentiment. Riggs and Kilmeade agree on the need for more transparency, with Riggs advocating for privatization and local accountability, while Kilmeade voices concern about possible manipulation behind the backlash. The episode closes on a somewhat humorous, optimistic note—maybe technological innovation (like space-based data centers) will eventually bypass the NIMBY problem entirely.

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Transcript

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[Host]

So I want you to hear Chris Wright talk about these, these data centers. Cut 51.

[Chris Wright]

Part of the ratepayer protection pledge is if you're going to use a gigawatt of power, build help support the building of more than a gigawatt of power. It's not just cover your own costs, it's improving the economics and the economic opportunities for the community around you and the rate. The signers of the ratepayer protection pledge have embraced this.

[Host]

So that's. We know 40% of all the new data centers are being protested. Yeah, one of which was I don't want my utility bill to go up because the data center sucking all the power. So they say you got to. This is almost a voluntary thing.

[Guest Expert]

Right.

[Host]

You have to have your own power and add to the grid of that state.

[Guest Expert]

You know me, I don't want more regulation, but I do think that I want more than just a pledge. We have come full circle with Big Tech. I think I was not a fan during COVID when a lot of us felt censored for having different opinions. And then of course Big Tech has been cozying up to the president and then I think there is a lot of good within AI and good in data centers. I think a lot of people don't trust Big Tech and they're looking at Mark Zuckerberg and they're thinking, yeah, a little pledge doesn't really work. We need more than that because we don't trust you. So I do think that this needs to be something more than a pledge. And I have been arguing that I think you should have representatives from these big tech companies go to these local city council meetings, hear what people are upset about and then tell them how you are contributing back to the grid, how you're upgrading infrastructure, how you're relying on your own water, you're not pulling from the system. This is actually really interesting backdoor way to start privatizing our utilities, which I love. The utility sector is extremely regulated government top down. If we could have Big Tech come in there and sort of privatize it and create competition, I love that. But this is a not in my backyard issue and frankly, I understand a Lot of the frustration from people depends.

[Host]

You these data centers, in order to function optimally, have to be near a population?

[Guest Expert]

No.

[Host]

So, I mean, they don't. So for example, if I want to help Boston, do I got to. Do I have to build something near Boston?

[Guest Expert]

I don't.

[Host]

Can I bring it into a rural area of Massachusetts?

[Guest Expert]

Yeah, I think you're. I mean, I think so. You're seeing tons of data centers go up in rural areas and they are self contained. They're bringing in their own portable water and their own portable electricity. Maybe they're. Have we had one instance where they were building transmission lines to pull in energy, but as long as they're contributing back to the grid, then I think people are more okay with it. I'm confused. Where was all this outrage during, like solar power and wind farms?

[Host]

Oh, yes.

[Guest Expert]

I don't now I'm getting tons of outrage on data centers. I didn't get twice as. I mean, I got half the comments on solar power.

[Host]

I worry that it's synthetically generated. It's not. Mr. And Mrs. Johnson going to a town hall and being described. Don't like the noise.

[Guest Expert]

Yeah.

[Host]

Or don't like their bills. I worry about outside forces because we've already seen how it can manipulate through TikTok especially.

[Guest Expert]

Exactly.

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[Guest Expert]

I mean, if this were China, China is probably promoting solar powers because they build all the solar equipment. So they're thrilled. Which is why I never saw outrage over solar panels. And now all of a sudden I'm seeing outrage 10 years later for data centers.

[Host]

They have these huge solar farms in New York. But she will not build a data center in New York. Will not frack in New York.

[Guest Expert]

You tell me why. And what's interesting about New York is they didn't learn their lessons about fracking when they banned that Cuomo a decade ago. Six, eight years ago, whatever it was, everyone thought like, okay, great, good for you. And now our power bills go up because we're having to import it. And they banned the constitutional pipeline in 2020. And so we thought.

[Host]

Can you describe that again? Where does that come from and how? Massachusetts and New York don't have it, Pennsylvania does. And therefore our bills are higher than theirs.

[Guest Expert]

Yes.

[Host]

Just asking. A pipeline. That's it.

[Guest Expert]

Yes. And so, I mean, again, I understand that I don't want to look out my beautiful window or have the government come in and use eminent domain to take my property. I totally get that. But if I can build a shrub around a data center and it's off a highway, where no one has to see it. And it helps power us in the future.

[Host]

And jobs and tax dollars into the coffers of your city.

[Guest Expert]

I know, but all the pushback I get is those are temporary jobs. Once the data center's up and running, you've destroyed my land and then you don't need my electrician anymore. You don't need my H Vac or my plumber anym. It's all temporary. Again, I'm not saying that I want to ban data centers. That's just I'm getting massive hate from someone, some entity, some people out there who are really not happy about this.

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[Host]

I know you gotta run. I had Mike Rowe on and he is pro Data Center. He's gonna put all those jobs in play. And I also had Joe Lonsdale on. When I filled in for Jesse on Sunday. On Monday and everyone's writing me about Data Center's pro and pro and con. I go, where did this come from? I just did a whole show. That was the one segment. I never thought twice about it. It was good. But that was all I got the next day. So I sent it to my team. We're doing it again this weekend.

[Guest Expert]

Totally. Because people have so many mixed feelings on it. And again for me, I want Big tack to go down to local level and talk to people in their community. I don't need meta. Put out a big national ad today about how they're committing to AI, but. Exactly. But that's because not one person on technology has communicated to people about Data center. They have to come out and tell us the why and the importance and where. Come on this program. We've certainly have invited them because there's a lot of people that are really angry. I will end on an optimistic note. We call this like the NIMBY. Not in my backyard. SpaceX wants to do data centers in space. And then that's fine. You'll never have to look at them. They'll all just be circling us in space.

[Host]

That'll be fantastic. And SpaceX can do it. Taylor Riggs, co host of the Big Money show, it's starting today. You'll be trying to start at 1 o', clock, right?

[Guest Expert]

Yeah, exactly at 1 until 2 noon to 2.