@conscious.app: Big Tech is now scouting Patagonia, one of the most beautiful places on Earth, to build mega data centers. Patagonia is the glacier-filled southern tip of South America, shared by Argentina and Chile. Data centers are giant buildings of computers powering AI, and developers want Patagonia's cold climate, which cools the machines, plus abundant energy and empty land. In the U.S., critics say data centers strain grids and raise electricity bills, while supporters cite tax revenue. Argentina has no such backlash yet, and in 2024 President Javier Milei courted the CEOs of Apple, OpenAI, Google and Meta. OpenAI, maker of ChatGPT, announced a non-binding agreement with Argentine company Sur Energy in October 2025 for a data center costing up to $25 billion. In August, Sur Energy's co-founder said the final contract remained unsigned, with no site chosen. Pampa Energía, a major Argentine power company, wants a data center beside its gas power plant in Neuquén province. It would run on gas from Vaca Muerta, one of the world's largest shale gas deposits, extracted by fracking. Mapuche Indigenous families live near that plant and have historically clashed with energy companies. Pampa's plan was unreported until Reuters revealed it in September, and experts say Patagonia still lacks the power and internet infrastructure these projects need. Pampa's site would use up to 500 megawatts, with power infrastructure alone costing almost $900 million. FlexDomes, a U.S. company, wants a $1.4 billion first phase in Neuquén. Poland's Green Capital plans one in Chubut that could reach 3,000 megawatts. Ditch Big Tech. Find ethical alternatives to big brands on the Conscious Spend app.

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