Another AI data centre proposed for rural Alberta

A company wants to build a data centre in west-central Alberta but doesn't yet have a tech company that has agreed to occupy it. At the proposed project's first public presentation, Yellowhead County had questions for developers.

Another AI data centre proposed for rural Alberta Yellowhead County asked developers questions about water use, electricity and facility end-of-life An energy company owned by a major Canadian natural gas producer is proposing to build a massive data centre in west-central Alberta, even though the developer has yet to secure a tech company to operate the facility. Emerald Energy Technologies, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tourmaline Oil Corp., is planning to build a power-generation facility and a data centre called Malachite One. The proposed site is on Crown land, adjacent to Tourmaline’s active Banshee Gas Plant about 40 kilometres southwest of Edson in Yellowhead County.

If approved, the plant would convert 150 million cubic feet of natural gas daily into one gigawatt of electricity to power the data centre, which would serve as a warehouse for computer equipment that processes data at high speeds. Tim Shaw, manager of public affairs for Tourmaline, said artificial intelligence (AI) tech companies like Meta and Amazon are typical users of data centres. Earlier this month, Meta announced it will build its first Canadian data centre in Sturgeon County, northeast of Edmonton.

Meta building its first Canadian data centre northeast of Edmonton Meta data centre in Alberta to start operating before neighbouring power plant Emerald Energy Technologies is proposing to build the Yellowhead facility as early as 2027, in hopes of attracting an operator. “What we're trying to do is put all the pieces together for a project that makes sense for the area that will bring in one of those data hall participants that need access to this type of infrastructure.” Last month, Emerald Energy Technologies gave its first public presentation to Yellowhead County council to give an overview of the project.

Coun. Brigitte Lemieux, deputy mayor for the county, called it the beginning of what will be a long public process. "With all major developments in Yellowhead County, our priority is always to ensure that any project respects residents, protects land and environment and aligns with our long-term interests," she said.

Lemieux said it is too early to determine whether Malachite One checks those boxes. Project details, including hundreds of jobs Malachite One is part of a rapid wave of AI and computing investments targeting Alberta because of its cooler climate, regulatory framework and its reliable