Alberta Premier Smith reassures Albertans on Meta's $13-billion data centre near Edmonton
Smith told callers the massive facility won't increase utility bills or strain water supply, using surplus grid energy until a natural gas plant launches in 2030.
The day's top stories, food & events — every morning at 7. Unsubscribe anytime.
Premier Danielle Smith spent Saturday's call-in radio show reassuring Albertans about Meta's plan to build a massive data centre in the province.
The $13-billion-plus facility, being built north of Edmonton in Sturgeon County, prompted questions about strain on Alberta's utilities and water supply. Smith said the data centre will operate on surplus energy from the province's grid until the Greenlight Electricity Centre builds a new natural gas-fired plant to power it in 2030.
On water, Smith said the centre will use the same amount consumed by a golf course and features a closed-loop water cooling system so it won't draw water from the surrounding area.
Meta announced the one-gigawatt data centre this week and has committed to spending $60 million to improve local infrastructure, including roads and water systems.
