Largest AI data centre in the world to be built in northwest Alberta

[Azure]

The world's largest Artificial Intelligence (AI) data centre will be built in northwest Alberta and comes with an estimated $70 billion price tag.

Known as Wonder Valley,(opens in a new tab) the data centre will be built in the Municipal District of Greenview, which encompasses areas to the south and east of Grande Prairie.

According to O'Leary, the MD of Greenview is "the most compelling site in all North America to generate and offer 7.5 GW of low-cost power to hyperscalers over the next five-10 years.

Hyperscalers are large-scale data centres that can provide cloud computing and data solutions.

The difference between hyperscalers and regular data centres is the ability to dynamically scale to meet demand. They use distributed computer systems, which split tasks across multiple machines to process high volumes of data.

"We will engineer and build a redundant power solution that meets the modern AI compute reliability standards," O'Leary said.

The project is set to be rolled out in phases. Phase 1 would see 1.4 gigawatts of power generated, with an aim for an additional one gigawatt generated each year afterwards.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy,(opens in a new tab) one gigawatt is equivalent to the energy generated by 294 utility-scale wind turbines, 1.887 million photovoltaic panels or 1.3 million horses.

https://edmonton.ctvnews.ca/largest-...erta-1.7138925

I mean this would be amazing for Alberta, but the entire thing sounds like a massive grift to me.

[Looch City]

If it's got O'Leary's name attached to it, it's a grift.

[Locke]

May as well move it over here.

Originally Posted by Locke

And apparently only 10 people will work there and 4 of them are handicapped?

[Cowboy89]

Originally Posted by Looch City

If it's got O'Leary's name attached to it, it's a grift.

The second I saw it I agreed. Kevin O'Leary isn't a billionaire businessman he just plays one on TV. This announcement is likely just attention seeking fodder to fuel his profile.

[Roughneck]

To put it in perspective, Shepherd Energy Centre is Alberta's largest power plant. It has an ~850MW capacity.


This plan is calling for a 1000MW plant to be built every year for ten years in the middle of nowhere.

[Monahammer]

This will never be built.

The power production portion would require a federal impact assessment at the proposed scale. The facility wants to be operational in a matter of years, so, impossible.

[undercoverbrother]

You might want to slow your roll.

This is a long way from being built.

Originally Posted by Azure

I mean this would be amazing for Alberta, but the entire thing sounds like a massive grift to me.

BTW This is a better title for this thread.

[iggy_oi]

I really hope this ends up working out but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t get Fyre Festival vibes from this announcement.

[indes]

Does O'Leary happen to own a firm that could be hired to do a full review on this? I mean we're talking a $70bn investment here. It would be prudent to hire some professionals to do a full run down - with so much money at stake I don't think we can be too careful, or cheap out on this.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Monahammer

This will never be built.

The power production portion would require a federal impact assessment at the proposed scale. The facility wants to be operational in a matter of years, so, impossible.

Not if your province makes laws that let you ignore laws!

[KelVarnsen]

Alberta isn't a serious province

[Roughneck]

Originally Posted by indes

Does O'Leary happen to own a firm that could be hired to do a full review on this? I mean we're talking a $70bn investment here. It would be prudent to hire some professionals to do a full run down - with so much money at stake I don't think we can be too careful, or cheap out on this.

Better get Preston Manning on it! Maybe Jack Mintz as well if he's not too busy.

[Bring_Back_Shantz]

This is small beans.

Wait until I announce my $1 Trillion dollar unicorn farm.

[indes]

Originally Posted by Roughneck

Better get Preston Manning on it! Maybe Jack Mintz as well if he's not too busy.

Good idea! I mean what's a few hundred million when we could be looking at 70 BILLION dollars. Does anyone have a restaurant looking for a catering opportunity?

[pseudoreality]

How do they plan on generating that kind of electricity? Coal?

[puffnstuff]

Originally Posted by pseudoreality

How do they plan on generating that kind of electricity? Coal?

Wind and solar.

[Roughneck]

Originally Posted by pseudoreality

How do they plan on generating that kind of electricity? Coal?

Our lower carbon natural gas, because it's high quality.



...and maybe geothermal.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Bring_Back_Shantz

This is small beans.

Wait until I announce my $1 Trillion dollar unicorn farm.

I am intrigued. Will this Farm be run by Jeff Shantz? Where can I invest?

[nfotiu]

Who are all the people living in the Star Wars city in the picture? Data centers don't tend to employ many people once they are up and going.

[troutman]

First Law
A robot must not harm a human or allow a human to come to harm through inaction
Second Law
A robot must obey human orders unless doing so would conflict with the First Law
Third Law
A robot must protect its own existence unless doing so would conflict with the First or Second Law