Nova Scotia committee to discuss $10B AI data centre planned for Cape Breton

A committee of Nova Scotia’s legislature is scheduled to discuss the controversial $10-billion AI data centre that’s been proposed in Cape Breton.

EverWind Fuels announced on Oct. 16 that U.S. AI company Anthropic had signed a 20-year lease for a 18,600-square metre facility in Point Tupper, N.S., that would draw 95 megawatts of electricity during its first phase.

Nova Scotia’s standing committee on natural resources and economic development will meet this afternoon and hear from EverWind Fuels officials.

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The County of Richmond’s warden and chief administrative officer will also be appearing as witnesses.

Deputy ministers and directors from the Department of Energy and the Department of Environment and Climate Change are also scheduled to speak at the meeting.

Opposition parties have slammed Premier Tim Houston’s government over a lack of regulations for the massive AI data centre project.

They have raised concerns over potential impacts to the environment, local water supply and electricity rates.

Houston has repeatedly said that many “checks and balances” will be in place for the project, and he says household power rates will not increase as a result of the data centre.