The Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) is introducing temporary limit on how many new data centres can be added to the electrical grid, as the province experiences un unprecedented surge of project proposals.

AESO, the independent operator of Alberta's electrical grid, will enable up to 1.2 gigawatts for new large-load data centres in Alberta until 2028. The cap applies to large-load projects that equal or exceed 75 megawatts.

But the 29 proposed projects would demand more than 16 gigawatts combined, a level of demand the province has never experienced, said AESO CEO Aaron Engen.

"Alberta cannot possibly connect all those proposed data centre projects in the short term," said Engen.

"We need to develop an approach to approve data centre connections that, No. 1, don't negatively im

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