EverWind announces $10-billion AI data centre and wind project for Nova Scotia
The project at Point Tupper is described as the largest private investment in the province's history.
POINT TUPPER — Energy and infrastructure company EverWind Fuels has announced plans for a $10-billion private investment to build an artificial intelligence data centre campus and expand wind energy projects at its Point Tupper site in Nova Scotia.
"This is the largest injection of private capital, we believe, in Nova Scotia history, and we could not be prouder to be here today," said EverWind CEO Trent Vichie at a news conference on Friday.
The investment includes $8 billion to develop the data centre campus and $2 billion to advance the company's onshore wind projects.
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Vichie said the company has reached a long-term lease agreement with a "leading AI company, a very, very large one," which will identify itself later Friday.
The campus will begin with an initial 95-megawatt phase in late 2027, followed by a 325-megawatt expansion targeted for 2028, reaching a total capacity of 420 megawatts.
Premier Tim Houston said the project is a major vote of confidence for the rural area about 200 kilometres east of Halifax.
"Canada doesn't have enough compute power. We need more compute power in this country," Houston said.
"We need more secure infrastructure, more secure data infrastructure. This is part of that puzzle. This is really important for Nova Scotia, but also for our country."
Vichie said the investment will mean 2,000 jobs during construction, followed by 215 "high paying permanent operating positions," as well as indirect jobs.
The company said it will fund the electricity infrastructure costs attributed to the project so costs aren't passed to ratepayers, and the data centre will have "several hundred megawatt hours" of battery storage.
EverWind's plan indicates it will use a closed-loop cooling system where a water, glycol mixture circulates through a sealed loop.
"Heat will be removed primarily using air, with water-assisted cooling used during the hottest weather," EverWind said in a release.
The company said under current design assumptions, the initial phase would use about 100,000 litres of water per day, which it compared to the daily water use of a large shopping mall.
At the planned 420-megawatt full build-out, average water use is expected to be about 500,000 litres per day.
NDP Leader Claudia Chender called on Houston to protect the public from power rate shocks.
"The Houston government is supporting this project without any discussion, consultation, legislation or regulations," Chender said in a statement.
"The premier is saying people should just trust his word that Nova Scotians will be protected."
Houston told reporters there are a "number of checks and balances along the way" currently, including industrial and environmental approval processes.
Lois Landry, warden of the Municipality of the County of Richmond, said the community has received "very encouraging information" about proposed technology to minimize water consumption and protect electricity ratepayers.
She said the community is open to opportunities, "provided they are developed responsibly, protect the interests of our residents and deliver meaningful, lasting benefits."
The announcement comes a day after the federal government announced $100 million to advance the proposed Wind West offshore wind project. Nosy Mag reported the funding includes money for data buoys and transmission modelling.
With files from The Canadian Press, Global News and CityNews