New Brunswick MP opposes proposed Saint John AI data centre

Conservative MP John Williamson has issued an open letter to New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt, urging the provincial government to reject a proposed artificial intelligence data centre in Saint John. Williamson expressed concerns that the project, proposed by Beacon Data Centers, could overwhelm the local power grid and lead to electricity rate hikes for residents.

Williamson stated that the public utility NB Power lacks the capacity to meet the facility’s estimated 200-megawatt demand from the grid. While Beacon AI claims the project requires 390 megawatts of energy and could generate up to 190 megawatts on-site, Williamson noted that the company appeared unwilling to generate all of its own power during previous discussions.

The New Brunswick government has maintained that any new data centre must cover the costs it creates and cannot result in higher electricity rates for consumers. Williamson also criticized Premier Holt for promoting the project at a Toronto investment summit before it had received official provincial approval.