In an investment move that could strengthen its artificial intelligence capabilities, Meta has announced plans to spend over $9.1 billion (€8.4 billion) to construct its largest AI data centre outside the United States in Canada. The project will take place in Sturgeon County, Alberta, where there is an increasing need for advanced computing infrastructure.
The new data centre will help power its growing artificial intelligence business and will be supplied by a separate natural gas-fired electricity plant being built by a consortium that includes Calgary-based Pembina Pipeline Ltd., the Facebook and Instagram parent company said.
The investment is one of the biggest technology investments in Alberta and is bolstering the province’s aspirations to host a significant AI infrastructure hub. However, Alberta has worked proactively to lure hyperscale data centres to the province and developed policies to promote investment while recognizing the power supply constraints in the region.
The project was welcomed by Technology and Innovation Minister Nate Glubish as an important step forward for the province. He stated Alberta’s regulatory framework has been put in place to encourage investment in large-scale technology in the province, and to make it competitive in terms of next-gen digital infrastructure.
As AI continues to grow quickly, global tech firms are constructing larger data centres to support increasingly complex computing tasks. They consume large quantities of electricity and need sophisticated cooling systems, which has led to concerns about their effect on the power grid, water resources and local communities.
In response to those concerns, Alberta has instituted a policy that will encourage developers of major AI facilities to find their own power generation, instead of relying solely on the provincial grid. That’s the idea behind Meta’s project, which involves its data centre and a dedicated power source.
The company also stated that the factory will be equipped with a closed circulation cooling system, which will recycle the water within the plant and reduce water intake from nearby lakes, rivers and other water sources. The design will aim at minimizing environmental impact and maximizing efficiency.
Meta has also pledged to invest $42 million (€37 million) in local infrastructure, such as upgrading roads and water systems that will help the project and the surrounding areas.
Greenlight Electricity Centre, a 932 megawatt power plant, will provide power to the data centre. Pembina Pipeline, Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners and Kineticor Asset Management last week confirmed that the facility would go ahead, and Meta was revealed as its key customer on Wednesday.
The Greenlight Electricity Centre should be operational in the second half of 2030, generating the energy needed for the new AI campus. Meta’s investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure through this facility is expected to be one of the company’s biggest in the region, mirroring its investment in AI infrastructure worldwide to drive its expanding suite of AI products and services.
