Anthropic leases the first phase of a Point Tupper data centre

On Oct 16, CBC News reported that EverWind Fuels will build and own a data centre at Point Tupper, Nova Scotia, and Anthropic will lease the first phase for at least 20 years. Anthropic said in a news release, quoted by CBC, that the centre "will power Claude models and serve growing demand from Canadian and global customers." Anthropic was not at the morning announcement. The company issued its release later in the day.

Global News reports the same campus: $8 billion to develop, build, own, and finance the data centre, and $2 billion for onshore wind, which the outlet describes as a $10 billion plan. EverWind told Global News the first phase is 95 megawatts in late 2027, a 325 megawatt expansion is targeted for 2028 subject to regulatory conditions, and the full campus is 420 megawatts. CBC uses those same megawatt figures and says Nova Scotia's current generating capacity is close to 3,000 megawatts.

Jacob Glick, Anthropic's head of Canada public policy, told Global News: "Canadians are using Claude in growing numbers, and we want our infrastructure to be closer to the people who rely on it." Reuters reported that the lease is Anthropic's first data centre agreement in Canada, and that EverWind's plan is more than C$10 billion for the campus and wind projects. EverWind's own announcement describes the private investment and the 95 megawatt, then 325 megawatt, schedule.

CBC says EverWind and Anthropic said they will pay for required upgrades to Nova Scotia's electricity system. Global News says EverWind plans to fund the electricity costs attributed to the project so they are not passed to ratepayers, and that the design uses closed-loop cooling. CBC reports a preliminary water estimate of 100,000 litres a day for the first phase and 500,000 litres a day with both phases, drawn from Landrie Lake. Global News also reports EverWind's figures of about 2,000 construction jobs and 215 permanent operating jobs. A specific dollar figure for the community benefit program was not on the CBC story. CBC says a Mi'kmaw consortium fronted by Membertou First Nation is negotiating a nine percent equity stake.

What it costs

Nothing on these pages is a new Claude price. The published figures are the project's capital plan: $8 billion and $2 billion in the CBC and Global News accounts, and more than C$10 billion in the Reuters account. The first phase is not scheduled until late 2027.

Should you switch

There is no setting to change. Claude keeps running where it runs now. The lease is capacity Anthropic says it will use for Claude, on a campus that is still in pre-construction.