Physicist Says Data Center Could Release Energy Equal to 23 Atomic Bombs Daily

A physicist working on behalf of the Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation says the planned O’Leary Digital Wonder Valley data center in Alberta could release waste heat equivalent to the energy of 23 atomic bombs each day. He stressed that the comparison describes energy, not explosions, and is a first-order estimate intended to convey scale.

Utah State University physicist Robert Davies prepared an assessment for the Nation’s judicial review filing. He said the project could become “the largest single-site heat source on the entire planet,” and that its effects could be large, if not extreme. The assessment is not a comprehensive environmental review, formal expert report or legal opinion; Davies said its quantitative figures should be confirmed against the developer’s filings.

The project, first unveiled in 2024, is planned for the Nation’s traditional territory, about 130 km southwest of its reserve. It has a stated budget of $70 billion and would cover 64 square kilometers. Davies argued that existing land-development rules were not designed for a data center on this scale, and raised concerns about potential effects of waste heat on surrounding wildlife.

O’Leary Digital CEO Paul Palandjian said the company respects the regulatory process and is engaging with Indigenous communities through consultation.