Meta first AI data center in Canada: $9.1B Alberta project

Meta is investing more than US$9.1 billion to build its first artificial intelligence data center in Canada, located in Sturgeon County, Alberta. The facility will be the company's largest outside the United States and is tied to a dedicated 932-megawatt natural gas-fired power plant developed by a consortium led by Pembina Pipeline Ltd., with Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners and Kineticor Asset Management. Meta is the customer for the Greenlight Electricity Center, and the power plant is expected to begin operating in the second half of 2030. The data center will use a closed-loop cooling system to minimize water draw, and Meta has pledged about US$42 million for local roads and water infrastructure.

What happened

Meta announced the project as part of its ongoing AI infrastructure buildout. The Alberta government has been courting hyperscale data centers, but the province's electricity grid cannot support multiple large AI facilities. As a result, Alberta is prioritizing projects that generate or secure their own power, which Meta is doing through the dedicated natural gas plant. The regulatory framework in Alberta was designed to attract such investment, and Technology and Innovation Minister Nate Glubish called the project "a big deal for Alberta."

Why AI builders should care

This project illustrates how hyperscale AI operators coordinate with energy providers, regulators, and local communities to secure reliable power for massive workloads. For AI builders and infrastructure teams, the key takeaway is that energy planning and dedicated power generation can mitigate grid constraints that otherwise slow deployments. The long lead time (power plant operational in 2030) also underscores the capital commitment and timeline required for large-scale AI infrastructure.

Practical implications

Data center developers may pursue similar models of partnering with energy producers to secure dedicated generation. Investments in local infrastructure (roads and water) may accompany large projects to address community impacts. Alberta's open regulatory framework can attract global hyperscale operators, potentially creating new regional hubs for AI compute capacity.

Caveats

Project timelines and exact capacity may evolve as the Greenlight Electricity Center proceeds through regulatory and construction phases. Specific numbers (e.g., final data center footprint, cooling technology implementation) may be updated as plans mature. Regulatory and energy supply constraints could shift if grid conditions change or if project milestones are delayed.

FAQs

What is Meta's first AI data center in Canada and where will it be located?

Meta's first AI data center in Canada will be located in Sturgeon County, Alberta. It is the company's largest data center outside the United States.

How much is Meta investing in the Canadian AI data center?

Meta is investing more than US$9.1 billion (over C$13 billion) in the project.

What powers Meta's Alberta data center and who is supplying the energy?

The data center will be powered by a dedicated 932-megawatt natural gas-fired power plant developed by a consortium led by Pembina Pipeline Ltd., with Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners and Kineticor Asset Management. Meta is the customer for the Greenlight Electricity Center.