Photo: Lacombe County council received information about Armada Nowlit Energy Ltd.’s proposed 19.8-megawatt natural gas power plant and modular data processing centre southeast of Clive. The project remains under review and has not received municipal approval. Screenshot

Lacombe County council heard a presentation on a proposed 19.8-megawatt natural gas-fired power generation facility and modular data processing centre southeast of Clive during its Aug. 27 regular meeting.

Armada Nowlit Energy Ltd. is seeking to redesignate approximately 1.78 hectares (4.4 acres) on SE 16-40-24 W4M from Agricultural “A” District to Heavy Industrial “I-HI” District.

The proposed site is on Haynes Road, south of Highway 12 and approximately 5.5 kilometres southeast of Clive. Access would be provided from Range Road 243.

The remainder of the property, approximately 63 hectares (155.6 acres), would remain within the Agricultural “A” District.

Plans presented to council call for nine natural gas-fired generators, each capable of producing approximately 2.2 megawatts. The electricity would be used by the modular data processing equipment at the site, with no power export to Alberta’s interconnected electricity system proposed at this time.

Project documents state natural gas would be supplied through a connection to existing distribution infrastructure. Municipal water and wastewater services are not proposed.

The approximately 144-metre by 108-metre facility area would contain the generators, data processing containers, cooling equipment, electrical and control systems, gas infrastructure and internal access roads.

Supporting materials submitted with the application address drainage, traffic, environmental protection, noise, air quality, lighting, fire safety and emergency response.

Council’s decision to receive the presentation does not approve the project or the requested land redesignation.

The proposal remains in the preliminary stages of the municipal review process. No municipal approvals have been granted and council has not taken a position on the development.

The requested redesignation would be the first of two municipal approval stages. If the land is redesignated, Armada Nowlit would still require approval of a discretionary development permit before construction could proceed.

The developer is scheduled to hold a public meeting Sept. 30 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Tees Community Hall. A presentation is scheduled for 6:15 p.m.

Lacombe County plans to hold a separate public engagement opportunity in late 2026 or early 2027. A formal public hearing would also be required before council could give second reading to a land-use redesignation bylaw.