Data Centres, AI, and Electrification — Legal and Corporate Approaches to Growing Power Demands in Canada
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29173/alr2877Abstract
As the use of generative AI increases, data centres have become increasingly common, with corporations seeking to rapidly expand their infrastructure to sustain their technology and services in response to rising demand. This growth in data centres presents shareholders and governments with new investment opportunities. In this context, this article unpacks the physical, economic, and legal implications of the increased demand for data centres and considers the potential consequences of their accelerated construction, which is currently set to outpace electricity generation and the necessary transmission investments. This article also explores the challenges faced by electricity regulators, as well as corporations, that wish to construct data centres, including legislative constraints, strained electricity grids, and the difficulty of implementing sustainable energy sources.
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