Beacon AI Centers Plans $10 Billion in AI Data Centers in Alberta
Beacon AI Centers, a prominent player in the AI data center sector, has announced its ambitious plans to build over $10 billion worth of AI data centers in Alberta, as reported by The Logic.
Former Blackstone CTO Josh Schertzer has been appointed as CEO to lead the company in its goal to create cutting-edge infrastructure for AI hyperscalers like Microsoft, Amazon, and Google. Beacon plans to develop six sites across 2,000 acres around Edmonton and Calgary, with the first facilities expected to go live by 2027 or 2028.
Alberta as a Prime Location for AI Data Centers
The choice of Alberta as the site for Beacon’s data centers is strategic, given the province’s abundant natural gassupplies and low taxes.
According to the Logic, Alberta has become a hotspot for tech giants seeking to build large-scale infrastructure to support their growing AI operations. The region is actively being promoted by the Innovation Minister of Alberta as a shovel-ready destination for data centers, which is expected to attract major players in the tech industry.
Beacon’s AI data centers are projected to consume up to 4.5 gigawatts of power, providing significant computational capacity for training AI models and running high-performance AI workloads. This power demand aligns with the growing need for AI compute infrastructure, which is at the heart of the rapidly expanding AI sector.
Schertzer, who spent 17 years at Blackstone, sees tremendous potential in the AI data center market, especially in Alberta. He emphasized that the race to secure sufficient compute capacity is crucial for AI companies, stating, “It’s a race, because if you don’t solve the challenge of providing compute capacity, these companies hit a wall.”
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Energy Sources and Sustainability Considerations
While Beacon’s facilities will initially source electricity from the grid, Schertzer stated that they plan to incorporate a mix of natural gas and renewable energy to generate their own power in the long term.
This shift will help address the emissions concerns that have emerged as companies rapidly scale AI infrastructure. For example, Microsoft has already outlined plans to revive the Three Mile Island nuclear plant to fuel its AI facilities without drastically increasing emissions.
