{
  "id": 8306765,
  "title": "MP calls on New Brunswick to reject proposed AI data centre in open letter to premier",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/18/mp-calls-on-new-brunswick-to-reject-proposed-ai-data-centre-in-open-8306765",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-09-18T20:42:41.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Global News",
    "slug": "global-news-globalnews",
    "url": "https://globalnews.ca/news/12064962/new-brunswick-ai-data-centre-open-letter-reject/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A New Brunswick Member of Parliament, John Williamson, has penned an open letter to Premier Susan Holt, urging her administration to reject a proposed artificial intelligence data centre in Saint John. Williamson asserts that the facility, which could consume up to 200 megawatts from the grid, would put undue strain on the power grid and result in increased electricity rates for local residents.\n\nWilliamson criticized Beacon Data Centers, the company behind the project, for allegedly overestimating the amount of power they would generate on-site. According to the conservative MP, Beacon AI is seeking approval for a 390 megawatt data centre, but Williamson claims the company is not willing to power the entire facility themselves. In a meeting with the company, Williamson said he raised this concern, but they \"balked.\"\n\nThe New Brunswick government, however, insists that any new data centre must cover the costs it creates and cannot result in higher electricity rates. Despite this, Williamson argues that the provincial government needs to \"play hardball\" with companies seeking to build data centres to protect ratepayers from substantial price hikes.",
  "summary": "Conservative MP John Williamson says the proposed AI centre in Saint John will trigger electricity rate hikes for nearby residents.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Winnipeg Free Press",
        "title": "MP calls on New Brunswick to reject proposed AI data centre in open letter to premier",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/18/mp-calls-on-new-brunswick-to-reject-proposed-ai-data-centre-in-open-8307411",
        "published": "2026-09-18T20:36:07.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Global News",
        "title": "MP calls on New Brunswick to reject proposed AI data centre in open letter to premier",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/18/mp-calls-on-new-brunswick-to-reject-proposed-ai-data-centre-in-open",
        "published": "2026-09-18T20:42:41.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}