Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Bell to Build $1.7 Billion, 300‑MW AI Data Centre Near Regina With Cerebras and CoreWeave

Construction starts this spring with first capacity due in early 2027 under a lease‑only strategy that keeps Bell out of fast‑aging AI hardware.

Overview

  • Bell will invest $1.7 billion in the Sherwood campus, allocating about $1.3 billion in 2026, financed through a mix of debt and cash with leverage targets reaffirmed at 3.5x by end‑2027 and about 3x by 2030.
  • Anchor leases cover the full 300 MW, with Cerebras taking 160 MW and CoreWeave 140 MW, backed by long‑term commitments and tenant prepayments to reduce Bell’s credit and technology risk.
  • At full run‑rate, Bell projects roughly $500 million in annual revenue, $400 million in EBITDA and $250 million in free cash flow from the facility.
  • Updated guidance lifts Bell’s 2025–2028 revenue CAGR by 0.5 percentage points and EBITDA growth by 1 point, while forecasting a 28%–34% free‑cash‑flow decline in 2026 with the dividend unchanged.
  • SaskPower will supply electricity and SaskTel will extend fibre, with Bell planning closed‑loop cooling and waste‑heat reuse as Saskatchewan’s fossil‑heavy grid raises emissions concerns.