Proposed data centre in west-central Alberta prompts mixed response from residents

Do you hear that? That's the sound of an oil and gas plant about five kilometres outside of Robb. The company that owns the plant, Tourmaline Oil Corporation, hopes to connect it to a data centre planned for about 1.5 kilometres up the road behind me. Neighbouring residents have many concerns. Water usage, impacts on the climate and noise. That's why Tourmaline hosted a series of open houses and town halls in the area over the last few weeks. Jack Williams has lived in Robb since the 50s. He used to work in the area's mines, and appreciates the impact of industry on this hamlet of about 150 residents southwest of Edson. This area is prone to industry. We have coal mines, we have gas plants, we have wells drilled, I mean gas and oil wells drilled, and it's just another use of our natural resources which is primarily the natural gas in the area. The proposed Malachite 1 data centre is just the latest development. Despite attending one of the the open houses, William still has unanswered questions about how it could impact his community. I've told everybody right now I'm either supporting it or rejecting it. I need more information. My main thing is that it doesn't affect the environment and I wouldn't want to see any major shifts in town here with noise or light or whatever. The Malachite One data center will be used to train artificial intelligence. Each day, more than 150 million cubic feet of natural gas will be converted into electricity to power the facility. Texas-based company Stream Data Centers will operate IT. How are they going to respond when something breaks down? In Hinton, dozens turned out to learn more, including longtime residents Gerard Berry and Sharon McGettigan. They have concerns about the environment and ultimately don't feel like the risk is worth it. And I think we're going to be left holding the bag if things go south. And there's a lot of concerns about health around this and the MFs. And even, I don't think there's any thought into the close proximity of the town of Robb. Others think the data centre could benefit the region. It seems like a good economic opportunity for Hinton. Lots of jobs. You know, if it doesn't happen here, it's going to happen somewhere else. That's sort of my understanding of the situation. Officials with Yellowhead County have not yet made a decision on whether to support the project, but acknowledge it has potential. Yellowhead County is really proud of the industry that currently exists in our county, and we support continued industrial growth. But that means that this industrial development must be responsible development. By that, I mean that it has to be respectful of our citizens, our communities, our land, and our environment. In a statement to CBC News, the province's Minister of Technology and Innovation, Nate Glubish, says any project that goes forward in Alberta will do so on Alberta's terms, with the strongest protections for our communities, resources, and for the benefit of Albertans. Despite the recent public consultation, the project is still facing opposition. with the petition now circulating on Facebook. And while area residents wait to hear whether or not it will be approved, Tourmaline is hoping to break ground in 2027. Katie Thieling, CBC News, Hinton.