Why scale matters
Alberta's existing data centres are typically measured in megawatts. Some proposed data centre campuses exceed one gigawatt. The difference is not incremental. It is hundreds of times larger.
About 10.5 terawatt-hours (TWh) in one year
If a facility drew 1.2 GW continuously for a year, it would use slightly more electricity than was delivered across Calgary in all of 2025.
This illustrates the proposed maximum at full demand every hour, not the project's expected or actual use.ENMAX reports 9.8 TWh delivered in Calgary in 2025.
One portfolio: 4.5 GW. Beacon's announced six-site Alberta portfolio alone equals about 44% of Alberta's 2025 average demand.
Portfolio announcement, not operating demand or a guarantee that every site will be built.
The data centres are only part of the picture.
Large data centre campuses create new electricity demand. Meeting it can require dedicated power plants, gas pipelines, substations, cooling systems, and water infrastructure built alongside the server buildings.