Firm behind planned Anthropic data centre in Nova Scotia denies owing fees to N.L.

EverWind Fuels, the firm behind Anthropic's planned data centre in Nova Scotia, is locked in a dispute over land fees related to a previously failed wind-powered hydrogen project in southern Newfoundland. The Newfoundland and Labrador government is still attempting to collect outstanding fees from EverWind for Crown lands reserved for the company's proposed wind-hydrogen operation on the Burin Peninsula.

However, EverWind denies owing any fees, stating that it never signed a reservation agreement, accepted the proposed fees, or made any contractual commitment to pay the amounts now being claimed. The company contends it never agreed to the land area or payment terms set by the province. EverWind had previously proposed wind-powered hydrogen projects in Point Tupper and the Burin Peninsula, but withdrew its interest in the Burin Peninsula reserve after the province reduced it to approximately 1,800 square kilometres in 2025.

Despite making over $5.6 million in good-faith payments, EverWind continued to be charged for land it did not want, leading to the government reclaiming the land from EverWind and two other wind-hydrogen projects in February following a new government's formation.