Grid Capacity and Rate Hike Warnings

Residents near a proposed artificial intelligence facility in Saint John could face higher electricity bills if the project moves forward, warns a local Conservative Member of Parliament.

John Williamson, MP for New Brunswick Southwest, is urging the provincial government to turn down the proposal from Beacon Data Centers. Williamson indicated that public utility NB Power lacks the required capacity to supply the facility with its requested 200 megawatts of electricity from the grid.

Provincial Stance and Project Power Requirements

In a letter addressed to Liberal Premier Susan Holt, Williamson detailed his opposition to the development. He raised concerns after Holt highlighted the venture during a major Toronto investment summit earlier this week, despite the project lacking provincial government authorization.

According to the provincial government, any new data centre operating in the region must cover its own costs and will not be permitted to drive up power rates for consumers.

Beacon AI stated that its facility needs 390 megawatts of energy in total, with the capacity to generate up to 190 megawatts on site. However, Williamson stated following a meeting with the firm several months ago that the developer was unwilling to produce all of its required energy independently.

Williamson called on the province to take a firm stance against data centre developers to ensure local electricity customers remain protected from severe price increases.