Alberta Leaks Plan to Overhaul Natural Gas Pipeline System for AI Data Centres
A leaked document has revealed plans by the Alberta government to overhaul the province's natural gas pipeline system to support the construction of AI data centres.
The document, obtained by The Narwhal, outlines proposals for changing regulations to ensure all natural gas pipelines fall under provincial jurisdiction and creating two Crown corporations: one to oversee the pipeline system and compel companies to make investments deemed a priority by the government, and another to build or bankroll new pipelines that could directly compete with existing private companies.
The plans are not just about data centres, but also reference expanding oil and gas production, including access to natural gas for oilsands operations. The government wants to host more data centres in the province, which would require a large amount of power generated by natural gas.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith initially dismissed the plan as 'spitballing', but later clarified that the government is considering compelling private companies to build more natural gas pipelines if they deem it necessary.