A utility company serving Lake Tahoe is redirecting power infrastructure to feed neighboring data centers, forcing roughly 49,000 residents to find alternative energy sources and facing potential 75% power reductions. This reflects the broader tension between AI infrastructure buildout and community energy stability — data center operators are securing power supplies while residential customers lose access. The decision appears to have happened with minimal community input, which mirrors similar conflicts across Nevada, Utah, and Illinois where data center expansions have outpaced local planning and raised environmental concerns.