Photo: Alberta has opened an online data-centre information hub and scheduled public town halls in Ponoka, Sturgeon County, Grande Prairie and online. The sessions will address electricity, water, land use and community concerns associated with proposed developments.

Alberta has launched an online information hub and scheduled four public town halls as the province prepares for increased data-centre development.

The information hub explains how data centres are reviewed, how they could affect electricity and water systems and how residents can participate in decisions involving proposed projects.

In-person town halls are scheduled for Ponoka on Aug. 19, Sturgeon County on Aug. 20 and Grande Prairie on Sept. 11. Each session will run from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

A virtual town hall is scheduled for Aug. 27 from 6 to 7 p.m. Registration for the online session closes at noon on Aug. 25.

Locations for the in-person sessions will be provided closer to the event dates, according to the provincial engagement page.

The sessions are intended to provide information about Alberta’s data-centre strategy and give residents an opportunity to discuss electricity demand, water use, land development and possible effects on nearby communities.

The provincial government says data-centre developers will be responsible for project costs and should not shift those expenses to residential electricity customers. It also says grid reliability will take priority when projects are considered.

The province expects municipalities to receive property-tax revenue from approved facilities. Alberta could also collect revenue through natural gas royalties and a computing-equipment levy.

The government’s broader strategy is organized around power capacity, sustainable cooling and economic growth. It supports both grid-connected projects and facilities that generate their own electricity.

The strategy also calls for regulatory changes, municipal co-operation and a provincial service to help prospective developers understand approval requirements.

Interest in Alberta data-centre projects has grown quickly. In June 2025, the Alberta Electric System Operator reported that 29 proposed projects representing more than 16,000 megawatts of electricity demand were seeking grid connections.

For comparison, the operator estimated Edmonton’s electricity load at approximately 1,400 megawatts.

The system operator established an interim limit allowing up to 1,200 megawatts of new large-load connections through 2028. Projects must meet conditions involving municipal support, financial security and technical studies.

Several large projects are also moving through provincial and municipal reviews.

The Alberta Utilities Commission is considering a proposed 1,494-megawatt natural gas power plant near Indus in Rocky View County. Under normal operating conditions, approximately 1,200 megawatts would supply on-site data halls intended for artificial-intelligence and high-performance computing.

A virtual commission hearing for that application is scheduled to begin Aug. 18.

Attendance at a provincial town hall does not replace municipal hearings or regulatory proceedings for individual developments. Residents affected by a specific project may have separate opportunities to file comments or participate in the applicable review.

Information about registration and future updates is available through the province’s data-centre engagement page.