Alberta Utilities Commission rejects $10 billion Synapse data centre plan near Olds

The Alberta Utilities Commission has denied an application to build a natural gas power plant in Olds that would have supplied a massive $10 billion data centre complex.

Synapse Real Estate Corp. had proposed a 1,400-megawatt facility that would have sprawled across roughly 10 per cent of Olds' footprint, with around 800 homes within 700 metres of the site. The commission found the project was too close to the surrounding community and that Synapse had failed to demonstrate compelling justification for selecting that location.

Alberta's minister of technology and innovation, Nate Glubish, called the decision proof that the province's regulatory system works. "If they don't have a power plant, they won't have a data center," he said. The rejection came after Synapse's earlier application was denied in 2026 for several deficiencies.

Roughly 1,500 interested parties submitted statements of intent to participate in the commission's proceeding; 919 were granted standing. Community concerns included excessive noise, water use, and potential environmental impacts.

Meanwhile, Meta Platforms is moving ahead with a $13 billion data centre campus in Sturgeon County, north of Edmonton — located in an established industrial area farther from major population centres. Glubish noted the contrast: "The Meta project made sense because it was the ideal location, proper zoning, proper site selection." The province is holding town halls in coming weeks to share information about data centre projects.