Key conclusions
- Bitdeer is investing $155 million in a hybrid energy and computing facility in the Canadian province of Alberta.
- The Fox Creek project involves the construction of its own 101 MW gas power plant operating off the public transmission network.
- The data center will initially mine bitcoins with the option to adapt the infrastructure to artificial intelligence technologies.
Bitdeer’s investment in the bring-your-own-generation system
The project in Fox Creek is being developed as part of a local program that allows investors to secure their own energy sources. The data center will not burden the public power system of the province of Alberta, because power will flow directly from a nearby, dedicated behind-the-fence gas power plant. However, the facility will maintain a technical connection to the Alberta Electric System Operator’s network via a dedicated 99 MW interconnector. Thanks to this, Bitdeer will gain the ability to temporarily turn off computing devices and resell the produced electricity to the public grid at critical moments or during a sudden increase in electricity prices.
This model eliminates formal barriers that block the development of data centers in US markets, such as the area managed by PJM Interconnection. Local regulatory institutions and transmission system operators are increasingly requiring investors to introduce new generating capacity into the system to avoid network overload. The strategy implemented in Alberta allows for immediate operations without having to wait for the upgrade of public high-voltage lines.
Flexible digital infrastructure for AI and Bitcoin
In February 2025, the corporation acquired full rights to the Fox Creek site from Kiwetinohk Energy Corp. The transaction included a package of environmental permits and administrative decisions issued by the Alberta Public Utilities Commission. Construction works have started on a 7.7-hectare plot in the Greenview municipal district No. 16. The general contractor will employ approximately 300 workers in the construction of the facilities, and after the center is launched, 30 permanent operating positions will be created. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith points out that regional natural gas resources and a free market energy system create optimal conditions for this type of digital investment.
Ecological solutions in the Bitdeer project
The Fox Creek facility will implement technologies that reduce environmental impact. The server cooling system will operate in a closed circuit using dry coolers, which will completely eliminate water consumption from nearby rivers and reservoirs. Reducing the use of water resources was one of the main conditions for the project’s acceptance by local communities and indigenous groups during many years of public consultations.
The investor also announced the installation of an installation for capturing and managing carbon dioxide directly from the chimneys of the gas power plant. This system is intended to reduce the emission rate of the entire complex and allow the company to meet the requirements set out in Canadian climate law. The company’s president, Jihan Wu, emphasized that entering the Canadian market is part of a long-term strategy for developing its own energy resources in North America. The company ceases to be solely a mining entity and becomes an independent energy producer and operator of advanced computing infrastructure. The construction of the facility will verify the company’s ability to implement such complex engineering projects.
