Map / AB
Verified 2026-08-16
Synapse Olds Data Centre
Synapse Data Center Inc. / Olds, AB
Announced
1.0 GW
announced
0 MW
energized
None of it is drawing power yet.
- Power path
- Behind the fence
- Generation tech
- closed-cycle natural gas power system (not grid-connected)
- Utility
- Not stated
- Queue reference
- AUC Proceeding 30732, Application 30732-A001 (power plant application)
- Target online
- Not stated
- Announced
- 2026-01-27
- Verification
- multiple
- Coordinate
- 51.7911, -114.1067 (town)
Getting power in Alberta
Courting load loudly while the near-term connection queue is already spoken for.
The full Alberta record, with the route to power, the binding constraint and every dated policy event.
Sources
- SYNAPSE DATA CENTER INC. Announces Major Data Centre Development in Olds, Alberta
- Synapse Olds Data Centre (Alberta Major Projects registry -- status confirmed 'Proposed' via live fetch)
- 1GW data center campus proposed in Alberta, Canada
- AUC — Synapse Data Center Power Plant Project (Proceeding 30732, Application 30732-A001; ~1,400 MW combined-cycle gas plus 1,800 MW emergency and backup diesel; not connected to the AIES; NW and SW quarters of Section 4, Township 33, Range 1, W5M; June 16 2026 suspension of process steps)
- CBC — Alberta regulator nixes power plant proposal for Canada's largest AI data centre complex (AUC decision of March 6 2026: “significant deficiencies”)
- CBC — Olds power plant, data centre application paused as Alberta regulator seeks answers (May 15 information request, June 5 response, June 16 suspension, around 685 statements of intent to participate granted standing)
- The Energy Mix — Application delayed as 680 local residents gain standing on Olds, Alberta data centre proposal (suspension letter attributed to AUC Lead Application Officer Victor Choy)
- The Narwhal — Alberta AI data centre gas turbine shortage (company statements on an October construction start, undisclosed turbine supplier, modular generators; Eco Power Equipment named in the provincial application says it does not manufacture turbines)
1 GW, 2M sq ft, $10B investment, CEO Jason van Gaal. Both the Town of Olds release and the Alberta Major Projects registry list it as proposed. The power plant is before the AUC as Proceeding 30732: about 1,400 MW combined-cycle gas plus 1,800 MW of emergency and backup diesel, which the AUC says “will not be connected to the Alberta Interconnection Electric System but will be used to power the on-site data centre load”. The AUC rejected an earlier application on 2026-03-06 for “significant deficiencies”, noting that 600 proposed backup diesel units of 2.6 MW each were not discussed in the project information package. On the refiled application the AUC issued information requests on 2026-05-15, received responses on 2026-06-05, and on 2026-06-16 suspended the current process steps while preparing further requests. Around 685 statements of intent to participate have been granted standing. The proceeding is live but not running: the AUC has issued a notice of hearing and states it has not determined the full schedule. Company statements, not confirmed facts: Synapse has said it hopes to start construction in October and will run modular generators alone before completing the full system, and has not disclosed a turbine supplier. Separately reported: its provincial application names Eco Power Equipment, which told reporters it does not manufacture turbines.
Other tracked projects in Alberta
- Genesee Data Centre Project Capital Power · 1.5 GW · In queue
- Wonder Valley AI Data Centre Park (Phase 1) O'Leary Ventures · 1.4 GW · Announced
- Beacon AI Hub — Indus (with Indus Project Thermal Power Plant) Beacon AI Centers / Indus Power Generation LP · 1.2 GW · Announced
- Meta Data Center (Sturgeon County) Meta Platforms Inc. · 970 MW · In queue
- Beacon AI Centers — Heartland Project Thermal Power Plant Heartland Power Generation LP (Beacon AI Centers) · 800 MW · Announced
- Black Bear Power Project (data centre power supply) Teton Digital LLC (formerly Kiwetinohk Energy Corp.) · 466 MW · Announced
- Beacon AI Data Centre Hub - Chestermere Beacon Data Centres (Beacon AI) · 400 MW · In queue
- Project North Light Not disclosed. The project website names no developer, operator or parent company. · 360 MW · Announced
Last verified 2026-08-16. Corrections: sam@mccordinvestments.com