The new data center will be designed to support Meta’s artificial intelligence (AI) workloads and help power the technologies used by billions of people worldwide to connect, build communities, grow businesses, and experience its range of digital services and wearables, the company said in a statement.

Once completed, the Sturgeon County facility is expected to represent an investment of more than CAD $13 billion. Meta said the project will create significant employment opportunities, with around 3,000 construction workers expected to be engaged at the peak of development and the facility supporting more than 300 operational jobs once it becomes functional.

Addressing concerns around energy consumption, Meta said it will cover the full cost of the data center’s energy use, ensuring consumers are not negatively impacted. The company added that it is investing in new and upgraded energy infrastructure to support the facility.

"We worked closely with Greenlight Limited Partnership, AltaLink, Capital Power, and the Alberta Electric System Operator to plan for and meet our energy needs years in advance of this data center coming online," Meta said.

The company added that it is fully funding new power generation and grid infrastructure in Alberta to support the data center. According to Meta, these upgrades will strengthen reliability across the province’s electricity grid and deliver benefits for consumers.