Data Centres & Tech

Even as she insists Meta’s massive new artificial intelligence data centre north of Edmonton won’t raise electricity prices, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is advising concerned Albertans to “lock in a price” on their power bills before the U.S.-based tech behemoth connects to the provincial grid.

Artificial intelligence’s wildly fluctuating power demand is creating technical challenges for data centres, grid operators, and potentially, even energy users at home.

The largest planned AI data center in New Jersey is being accused of violating federal law after a Floodlight visual investigation found the site running dozens of unpermitted gas-powered generators.

A new map of data centres in Alberta shows proposed AI facilities demanding more than 100 times the electricity used by existing ones in the province, a spike that comes with significant emissions impact.

Alberta's technology minister faced a firing line of community fury Thursday at a government town hall on its plan for artificial intelligence data centres. "I'm sorry to hear that you have such a jaded view of the government," Nate Glubish responded, to boos from the crowd.

Public opposition to artificial intelligence (AI) data centre projects is surging across Canada and the United States, as outrage over the projects’ energy and water use, noise pollution, carbon footprint—and their proponents’ habit of often ignoring or flouting community opposition—unites voters across the political spectrum.

A billion-dollar power plant meant for an artificial intelligence (AI) data centre proposed in Olds, Alberta, is “not in the public interest,” the provincial utility regulator ruled Monday.

“Today’s decision means O’Leary’s group lost on every ground,” said Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation Chief Sheldon Sunshine, as Alberta judge allows judicial review to proceed.

The Alberta county council that granted permits for Meta’s new $13-billion, climate-polluting, gas-powered artificial intelligence (AI) data centre has declared an agricultural disaster due to record-setting extreme weather attributed largely to climate change.

As Antora boots up a giant thermal battery system in South Dakota, fresh funds will help it build a second U.S. factory and more large-scale projects.

As experts warn that misinformation and disinformation are existential threats to Canadian democracy, communities watching hyperscale data centres move into their neighbourhoods say they are being stonewalled by local leaders while the federal government lags on regulation.

A Leger poll of 1,505 Canadians found 81% worry AI data centres will raise electricity bills and 79% fear environmental harm, while opinion is split on building them domestically for data sovereignty.

New AI-driven forecasts can tell you when dangerous weather is coming, Prof. Catherine Nakalembe writes for Yale Climate Connections. However, the barrier to saving lives is rarely data accuracy, but the absence of the policy infrastructure required to act on it.

No large data centres can be built in New York for up to a year as the state creates rules to protect the environment and its energy grid from the power-hungry facilities fuelling artificial intelligence.

Community opposition blocked or delayed US$64 billion of data centre projects in the United States in less than a year, yet community concerns do not make the top-four list of considerations for data centre proponents when they pick a location.