Big Tech expands Alberta data center push as Calgary Stampede draws U.S. hyperscalers

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Big Tech grows Alberta data centers

Highlights

Google exhibits its largest-ever presence at the 2024 Calgary Stampede, sponsoring the event and hosting a private party attended by policymakers.
Alberta targets C$100 billion in data center investment, leveraging abundant natural gas, cheap power, and a cool climate to attract U.S. hyperscalers.
Pembina Pipeline announces it will proceed with the C$4.6 billion Greenlight Electricity Centre, a 932-megawatt project aiming to support hyperscale data center development.

Tech presence grows around Calgary energy gathering

As reported by Reuters, U.S. technology companies are taking a more visible role at this year's Calgary Stampede, an annual business and social gathering long dominated by oil and gas executives. Sources attending the events say Alphabet's Google has the strongest profile, sponsoring the Stampede for a second straight year and hosting a private party on Sunday at the Corona Skydeck, a rooftop venue overlooking the rodeo grounds with capacity for 300 guests.

A Google spokeswoman confirms the company has its largest-ever presence at the Calgary Stampede this year. A Reuters source says federal and provincial politicians and government staff are among those attending Google's event, while two sources say Meta and Amazon are also taking part in meetings and gatherings, although neither company responds to requests for comment.

Alberta pitches power and scale for new investment

Alberta is seeking to attract C$100 billion in data center investment, highlighting its low-cost and abundant natural gas supply as a competitive advantage. The province's relatively cool climate and access to affordable power could appeal to U.S. hyperscalers that face electricity constraints and increasing local opposition at home.

The Alberta government says it plans to announce a major investment in the province's technology and artificial intelligence sector on Wednesday, but it does not provide further details. Technology Minister Nate Glubish previously tells Reuters that Alberta is in talks with multiple tech companies looking for places where they can connect to the grid quickly, and the province is also offering developers the option to build their own power sources to work around capacity limits.

Alberta does not yet have a hyperscale data center, defined as one requiring 50 megawatts or more of power, but nearly 100 have been proposed and at least one large project is moving toward construction. Last week, Pembina Pipeline says it will proceed with its planned C$4.6 billion Greenlight Electricity Centre in central Alberta, a 932-megawatt natural gas-fired project intended to support development of a major data center for an undisclosed customer.

MasTec’s $1.65 billion acquisition of electrical contractor Superior Group highlighted how AI-driven data center growth is reshaping infrastructure demand across the U.S. Our earlier coverage noted that the deal strengthens MasTec’s electrical systems and mission-critical buildout capabilities, with Superior expected to add meaningful revenue and earnings as hyperscale projects accelerate.

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