Meta's $13 billion Alberta AI data centre draws mixed reactions from residents and experts
While Alberta pitches the massive facility in Sturgeon County as one of Canada's largest private-sector investments, some Albertans worry about power costs, grid strain, water use, and pollution.
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Meta has announced a massive $13 billion AI data centre in an industrial area of Sturgeon County north of Edmonton, and while Alberta is calling it a historic investment, many Albertans online are expressing concern about what it will mean for power bills, electrical grid reliability, water use, and pollution.
The 1GW facility is expected to create more than 3,000 construction jobs and 300 permanent positions once operational. The province estimates it will generate about $250 million annually through royalties, taxes, levies, and fees. Meta is also putting $60 million toward local infrastructure improvements including roads and water systems.
The data centre is paired with Project Greenlight, a $4.6 billion, 970-megawatt natural gas-fired electricity generation facility announced last week by Pembina Pipeline Corporation, Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners, and Kineticor. The province says that because Meta will contribute to transmission costs, Alberta ratepayers could see up to a 6 percent decrease on the transmission portion of their electricity bills.
However, the Alberta-based Pembina Institute — unrelated to Pembina Pipeline — suggests the "bring your own power" model may be incomplete. When large new electricity users connect locally, nearby substations may need expansion and local wires and equipment upgrades. "Costs may rise and are often shared across customer groups," Pembina explained, adding that large users should bring "flexibility" — shifting non-urgent computing to off-peak hours, using more efficient equipment, and managing cooling systems carefully.
To address water concerns, Meta's facility will use a closed-loop, liquid-cooled system with dry cooling approaches to minimize consumption. The province maintains that large data centres in Alberta must bring their own power, pay for infrastructure to support operations, and meet environmental and water requirements — rules Alberta says it established before opening the door to investment.
"Alberta created clear rules for large AI data centres before opening the door to investment," the province wrote. "Those rules help keep electricity reliable and affordable, protect Alberta's water resources, ensure major projects pay their own way and deliver long-term economic and government revenue benefits for Albertans."
