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ARTICLE · 07 JULY 2026

Connecting Data Centres To The Grid: Alberta's New Regulatory Framework And Emerging Canadian Trends

Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
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Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP

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Alberta’s new Data Centre Regulation (Regulation) makes significant headway for connecting data centres to the province’s electricity transmission grid, while marking a departure from certain long-standing regulatory principles. The Regulation reflects the bespoke considerations governments must balance when evaluating digital infrastructure connections and may inform approaches in other provinces.

CanadaEnergy and Natural Resources
Katie Slipp
Katie Slipp
Reena Goyal
Reena Goyal
Nicole Bakker
Nicole Bakker
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Alberta’s new Data Centre Regulation (Regulation) makes significant headway for connecting data centres to the province’s electricity transmission grid, while marking a departure from certain long-standing regulatory principles. The Regulation reflects the bespoke considerations governments must balance when evaluating digital infrastructure connections and may inform approaches in other provinces.

Alberta’s Data Centre Regulation

The Regulation was issued under Alberta’s Electric Utilities Act on June 9, 2026, and provides a framework for how the Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) will process requests by large data centres (75 megawatts or more, unless otherwise determined by the AESO) for access to Alberta’s transmission grid. The Regulation aims to manage the connection of these and other similar large digital infrastructure loads in a way that protects grid reliability and supports prudent cost allocation and system planning, all while incentivizing data centre development

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