• Meta's 1GW Sturgeon County data centre could begin operating before the dedicated 932MW Greenlight power plant is scheduled to enter service
  • Capital Power has contracted 250MW for the site from the second half of 2028, while Meta has not disclosed the full power ramp before Greenlight starts in 2030

The fact

Alberta's opposition is questioning how Meta's Sturgeon County data centre will be powered before its dedicated natural-gas plant is ready. The issue was raised at an NDP consultation on the province's approach to AI data centres. Meta said in July that its 1GW campus could be online within two to three years, although it has not set an exact opening date. The 932MW Greenlight Electricity Centre being built to supply the site is scheduled to enter service in the second half of 2030.

Meta has rights to connect to Alberta's grid before Greenlight starts. Capital Power has also signed a supply agreement for 250MW beginning in the second half of 2028. Alberta says data-centre developers must cover project-related electricity infrastructure costs and encourages large projects to bring or add generation rather than rely solely on existing grid supply.

The assessment

Meta’s power plan is a sequencing problem. The campus can begin operating before Greenlight, but electricity still has to be secured for each phase as new data halls are commissioned. The disclosed 250MW Capital Power agreement covers part of that period. Meta has not said how quickly demand will rise towards 1GW or what other supply may be available before the dedicated plant enters service.

That leaves the construction schedule and the power schedule dependent on each other. If Meta brings data halls online faster than firm supply becomes available, some capacity may have to wait. A slower ramp would give the company more time to bridge the gap. There is not yet enough information to know which path Meta intends to take.

For BTW readers, the 1GW headline matters less than the timing of each phase. The project will depend on Meta securing enough electricity for each block of capacity before it is ready to run.

What to watch

Watch Meta’s first energisation date and how much capacity enters service in each phase. Additional supply contracts would show how the company plans to cover demand before Greenlight is ready. Changes to the power plant’s 2030 schedule would also affect how long Meta needs interim supply.