It’s a development that may constitute the largest single private-sector investment in the province’s history.
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that → ’ → history
And it has the potential to reshape the identity of Saskatchewan’s capital city.
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it → have → city
Bell Canada and the provincial government announced a memorandum of understanding Monday at an investment summit hosted by Prime Minister Mark Carney in Toronto.
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Canada → announce → Toronto
The agreement would expand the controversial AI data centre near Regina from the original, still unfinished, 300-megawatt facility to a data centre hub with a total capacity of 1.2 gigawatts – quadrupling in scale.
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agreement → expand → scale
It would also see Regina become the home of Bell AI Fabric’s headquarters.
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Regina → see → headquarters
The original press releases made many bold claims, but were sparse on details.
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releases → make → details
A day later, Saskatchewan’s NDP Leader of the Official Opposition, Carla Beck, called for a moratorium on new AI data centres until the province could provide more details.
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province → call → details
Through conversations with three experts, Bell Canada and careful inspection of press releases, Global News seeks to bring you answers to the questions you may have.
Anne Pasek is the Canada Research Chair for Media, Culture and the Environment.
Simon Enoch is a senior researcher with the Canadian Centre for Alternative Policies and has been studying the rise of data centre backlash across North America.
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Enoch → seek → America
The answers provided by Bell came from its media relations department, or are quoted directly from its press release.
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answers → provide → release
Global News has also quoted the Government of Saskatchewan press release, when relevant, for added context.
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News → quote → context
1: Where will this expansion be located?
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expansion → locate → ?
It would not be possible to locate the full additional capacity within the current site footprint, given the setbacks and supporting power generation infrastructure required, so additional land will need to be purchased.
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land → locate → setbacks
Any future decision involving land acquisition, site selection or development will be made in close partnership with the local community, municipal council and provincial partners, with local input central to the process and subject to all applicable approvals.
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input → involve → approvals
No site decisions have been made.
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decisions → make → ?
Further details will be shared as customer commitments are secured and development plans advance.
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plans → share → ?
2: How will the additional 900 MW of required power be produced?
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MW → require → power
The additional capacity would come from partner-developed power generation from natural gas.
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capacity → come → gas
Consistent with Saskatchewan’s Data Centre Framework and its bring-your-own-power principle, the additional capacity will be supported by dedicated natural-gas generation located off the existing site, so it does not rely on Saskatchewan’s provincial electricity grid for load supply.
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it → bring → supply
Bell is working to identify an experienced third-party operating partner that will be responsible for the generation infrastructure.
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that → work → infrastructure
It’s interesting when Bell has the choice of building their own generation, they’re looking at gas.
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they → ’ → gas
Hopefully they’re also thinking about renewables because if you can integrate renewables with the gas, then you don’t have to run the gas plant as much and you’re not going to be polluting as much.
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you → think → much
Because at the same time as these new investments are expanding the grid, in Canada as a whole and Saskatchewan, the goal is to clean up our electricity system and get to zero emissions by 2050.
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goal → expand → 2050
So, 900 megawatts of gas, maybe that is right now the cheapest option, but let’s hopefully see it paired with wind and solar so we can actually bring down the pollution from that gas plant.
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we → let → plant
It looks like it’s been confirmed that this will be natural gas generation.
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this → look → ?
Bell is looking for a third party provider.
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Bell → look → provider
They’re working with TransGas and SaskPower to facilitate this.
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They → work → this
But, it will require a dedicated pipeline of natural gas.
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it → require → gas
This would be the largest natural gas generating plant in Saskatchewan by a country mile.
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This → generate → mile
Currently, it’s the Queen Elizabeth power station in Saskatoon at 634 megawatts.
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it → ’ → megawatts
So I think there’s a lot of questions for nearby residents who might not have signed up to live next to potentially the largest natural gas generating power plant in the province.
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who → think → province
The part that stands out for me the most is the size of the gas plant that’s being plugged into this.
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that → stand → this
The province has decided they want to prioritize clients that can bring their own power, that can build their own facilities to prevent grid operators from needing to shoulder all this burden, and that makes economic sense for ratepayers.
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that → decide → ratepayers
But it’s really horrible math for the climate, right?
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it → ’ → climate
Like we’re building a new city’s worth of emissions here.
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we → build → emissions
And that is glossed over, I think, in a lot of the discussion from the province.
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I → gloss → province
We could require renewable energy.
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We → require → energy
It’s totally doable to go there in terms of the policy design.
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It → ’ → design
Australia, for example, nationally is requiring new data centres to have renewable power supply, some percentage that I think is going to be an escalating number over time.
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I → require → time
So the gas versus renewables issue is a choice the province is making and one that I think is fair for us to question.
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us → make → renewables
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3: Will the Bell AI Fabric Headquarters be located in Regina, or on-site with the Data Centres?
Bell:
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Headquarters → get → Bell
…and 84 more, not listed.
The Aporia
