First Nations say Alberta data centre approach won't attract big tech players
The chiefs of the Alexander First Nation, Paul First Nation, Enoch Cree Nation and Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation outlined their concerns in an open letter to Premier Danielle Smith and members of her government.
Data centres are huge facilities housing the computing firepower needed for artificial intelligence and other applications. They take an enormous amount of power to run and cool them.
The Alberta Electric System Operator said earlier this month that it has received requests from 29 proposed data centre projects representing more than 16,000 megawatts — more than 11 times the City of Edmonton's load.
It said it will allow the connection of up to 1,200 megawatts of large load projects between now and 2028 to ensure the reliability of Alberta's grid.
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The chiefs wrote that companies like Meta or Amazon don't build small, and the limit sends a signal that Alberta is not ready to meet those companies' needs or see a flagship project come to fruition.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 27, 2025.
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