CALGARY, Alberta: Meta Platforms has unveiled plans to invest $13 billion in a massive artificial intelligence data centre in Sturgeon County, Alberta, a project expected to significantly benefit the province's utility providers, natural gas producers and infrastructure companies.

The facility, Meta's first AI data centre in Canada, is designed to deliver 1 gigawatt (GW) of computing capacity—enough to consume nearly three-quarters of the electricity used by the city of Edmonton. The project highlights the growing demand for power driven by the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence technologies.

To meet its energy needs, the data centre will be supplied by the $4.6 billion Greenlight natural gas-fired power plant, currently under development by a consortium led by Pembina Pipeline Corp. In addition, Capital Power Corp. has secured a long-term agreement to provide 250 megawatts of electricity to Meta.

Industry analysts say the investment strengthens Alberta's position as an emerging hub for large-scale AI infrastructure. The project is expected to encourage additional investments in electricity generation, transmission networks, natural gas production and related infrastructure as more global technology companies explore expansion in the province.

Unlike several North American jurisdictions that have slowed or restricted new data centre developments because of concerns over electricity demand, Alberta has introduced a "Bring Your Own Power" (BYOP) policy. Under this framework, developers must secure dedicated power supplies for their projects, helping prevent additional costs from being passed on to residential and commercial electricity customers.

The Alberta government has also said the Greenlight project will help lower electricity transmission costs for consumers once it becomes operational. Meta has committed to using a closed-loop cooling system, which is expected to reduce water consumption compared with traditional data centre cooling methods.

While energy companies have welcomed the investment, environmental organizations argue that the province's reliance on natural gas represents a missed opportunity to expand renewable energy. Critics believe Alberta should encourage greater use of wind, solar and other low-carbon power sources to support energy-intensive AI facilities.

Analysts say companies including Pembina Pipeline, Capital Power, TransAlta, Canadian Utilities and TC Energy are among those likely to benefit as demand for reliable electricity continues to rise. Equipment suppliers are also expected to gain from the construction boom, with growing demand for power generation systems and industrial infrastructure.

Meta's investment is one of the largest technology projects announced in Canada and reflects the increasing importance of AI infrastructure in driving economic growth, energy investment and industrial development across the country.