Nova Scotia to host massive data centre to power Anthropic's AI assistant Claude
EverWind Fuels will own it, AI giant Anthropic will lease it
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Anthropic → host → it
A massive data centre to provide computing power for artificial intelligence giant Anthropic is under pre-construction just outside Port Hawkesbury in Cape Breton.
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centre → provide → Breton
EverWind Fuels will handle construction of the facility, while Anthropic will lease the first phase for a term of at least 20 years.
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Anthropic → handle → years
Anthropic said in a news release the data centre "will power Claude models and serve growing demand from Canadian and global customers."
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centre → say → customers
EverWind, headed by Australian-American private equity veteran Trent Vichie, had previously confirmed it has data centre ambitions, but said little else.
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it → head → little
On Friday, EverWind released more information about its plans.
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EverWind → release → plans
EverWind Fuels said it will build the facility in two stages, with the first phase to come online by the end of 2027 and the second in 2028.
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phase → say → 2028
The first phase would have a capacity of 95 megawatts and the second, 325 megawatts, for a total of 420 megawatts.
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phase → have → megawatts
EverWind said it will pay for any required upgrades to Nova Scotia’s electricity system.
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it → say → system
EverWind raising $8 billion for project
EverWind said it is raising $8 billion in private capital to fund the project and an additional $2 billion for four of the onshore wind farms it is planning to build.
"This is investment that is in the ground here, supporting Nova Scotians, not only its energy economy but its knowledge economy as well," Vichie said at an announcement in Point Tupper, the industrial park where the facility is to be built.
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facility → raise → Tupper
Land clearing is underway and officials said they hope to have foundations poured before winter.
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foundations → say → winter
Trent Vichie, CEO of Everwind, spoke at the event.
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Vichie → speak → event
EverWind's four wind farms would eventually support the data centre’s electricity needs, but existing generation on the provincial grid would be the primary supply to begin.
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generation → support → grid
The Independent Energy System Operator, which manages the provincial grid, told CBC News it studies all new projects to ensure the grid can handle them, before allowing them to connect.
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them → manage → them
It did not answer specifically whether there is capacity to connect this data centre, although EverWind officials said they've been assured there is capacity, at least for phase 1.
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they → answer → phase
Vichie was joined at Friday's announcement by politicians from every level of government, who are enthused about the idea.
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who → join → idea
Premier Tim Houston thanked Vichie for bringing such a large sum of money to Nova Scotia, and said it demonstrates "what is possible in our province."
"Please don't stop, keep moving, we'll be here to support you in that," he said, directing his remarks to the EverWind CEO.
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he → thank → CEO
Kings-Hants MP Kody Blois, who is parliamentary secretary to the prime minister, said the data centre aligns with the Liberal government's priorities.
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centre → say → priorities
"Today is an example of how we're building a stronger Canada," he said.
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he → build → Canada
Richmond County Warden Lois Landry noted there has been some skepticism in the community in recent weeks as people have been speculating about the project's specifics, but she said she feels optimistic after learning more information.
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she → note → information
"We're hearing about potential construction and long-term employment, opportunities for local businesses and infrastructure investment that could support future growth," she said.
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she → hear → growth
EverWind has been trying to develop renewable energy projects in Nova Scotia for several years.
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EverWind → try → years
It says those plans remain unchanged.
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plans → say → ?
The data centre is to be built at the same site as one of EverWind’s other proposed projects — a green hydrogen and ammonia facility.
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centre → build → projects
Data centres have become a flashpoint across Canada, especially those that power AI, because they can have huge footprints and require vast amounts of energy and water for cooling.
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they → become → cooling
Concerns about AI’s potential impacts on jobs and dire warnings about risks to human existence also have some people pushing back.
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people → have → existence
There are some proposed data centres that would dwarf this one in size, including the Wonder Valley data centre in Alberta — the first phase of which is meant to be more than a gigawatt — but this project is still on the larger end of facilities that have been recently announced in Canada.
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that → be → Canada
EverWind said it has signed on to Ottawa’s responsible data centre development principles — a set of non-binding guidelines the federal government released last month.
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government → say → guidelines
Houston recently laid out similar guidelines.
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Houston → lay → guidelines
Both levels of government say they expect any data centre to have local benefits, minimal environmental impact and minimal water use, and for there to be no resulting power rate spikes.
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centre → say → benefits
“We applaud the federal and provincial governments for setting high standards for responsible development,” Vichie said in a news release.
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Vichie → applaud → release
“And we will continue to work with communities to ensure that our work meets their expectations.”
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work → continue → expectations
EverWind said it will use a closed-loop water-glycol system.
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it → say → system
The company’s preliminary estimate for water usage is an average of 100,000 litres per day for the first phase and 500,000 litres of water per day including both phases.
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estimate → include → phases
Water would be drawn from nearby Landrie Lake.
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Water → draw → Lake
The provincial regulator has approved the Landrie Lake Water Utility to withdraw 34 million litres from the lake each day, which would make EverWind’s daily requirements about one per cent of the total safe withdrawal volume.
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requirements → approve → volume
The company promised the data centre would come with a community benefit program worth tens of millions of dollars.
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centre → promise → dollars
A specific dollar figure was not provided.
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figure → provide → ?
Local communities and Anthropic would consult on how to spend the money.
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communities → consult → money
A consortium of Mi’kmaw communities, fronted by Membertou First Nation, is negotiating a nine per cent equity stake in the project.
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consortium → front → project
…and 5 more, not listed.
The Aporia
