02/07/2026
Here is some interesting conjecture from Stephen Campbell:..............
STEPHEN CAMPBELL FOR MEDICINE HAT -
This is just my opinion, based on what I’ve been paying attention to over the last few years.
I’m big into this sort of stuff. I’m not against solar or new business, but…
👉 If we’re going to use solar for business, we need to know who’s using it and what it’s for.
Is it going to bring jobs?
Is it for a data mine?
And if it is for a data mine — are we getting a good deal?
Because the reality with data mines is this: if you don’t have a good deal, they can and will pull out. And that’s not hypothetical — we’ve seen it happen.
So here’s a timeline and why, in my opinion, this looks like a very specific customer.
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North Bay, Ontario (2022)
Hut 8 shut down its North Bay operations.
This wasn’t about Bitcoin prices. It wasn’t about demand.
It was about power uncertainty.
Public reporting and company statements showed:
• Power delivery was suspended
• There was a power purchase agreement (PPA) dispute
• The issue went to mediation/litigation
• Operations stopped
• Equipment was moved out, not scrapped
That’s important: the assets still had value — they just needed a better power market.
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Drumheller, Alberta (2022–2023)
Hut 8 shut down its Drumheller site as well.
The reasons cited were:
• High electricity costs
• Voltage and power quality issues
Again, not ideology. Not politics.
Just power economics and reliability.
And again — equipment was relocated, not abandoned.
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Medicine Hat becomes the consolidation point
While North Bay and Drumheller were shutting down:
• Equipment from both locations was moved to Medicine Hat
• Medicine Hat became the stable base because of:
• Municipal power
• Scale
• Long-term contract certainty
This is a pattern, not a coincidence.
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The Saamis Solar project — what people miss
Another key point that gets glossed over:
• The Saamis Solar project existed on paper for years
• The City of Medicine Hat only actively began pursuing it around 2023
• Regulatory approval came in 2024, which finally allowed the City to move forward
• Council has approved proceeding only if a committed customer signs a power contract first
That condition matters a lot.
This isn’t speculative solar.
This is customer-driven infrastructure.
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The expansion timing
Around the same time the regulatory approvals fell into place:
• Hut 8 publicly discussed a major expansion in Medicine Hat
• Figures floated publicly amount to roughly 14× growth (about 1,400%)
• The equipment is already here
At this point, expansion doesn’t hinge on hardware.
It hinges on power certainty and pricing.
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Why solar matters to data mines and AI
This part isn’t about ideology — it’s about risk management.
Large compute operations want solar because it gives them:
• Long-term price certainty
• Protection from future regulatory or carbon costs
• Easier approval for large power loads
• Political and community cover
• Grid stability when paired with baseload power
Solar doesn’t replace baseload — it stabilizes it.
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What I took from last night’s council meeting
And here’s where this turns into opinion, clearly labeled:
At last night’s council meeting, right before the vote, it sounded very much like there was already someone ready to sign.
That wasn’t stated outright — but it was strongly implied.
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My opinion, based on the full picture
When I put it all together:
• North Bay shuts down because of power uncertainty
• Drumheller shuts down because of power cost and quality
• Equipment from both moves to Medicine Hat
• Medicine Hat becomes the growth centre
• The City advances solar only with a committed customer
• A massive expansion is publicly discussed
• The equipment is already here
• And there are hints that a deal is ready
In my opinion, we’ve figured out who the customer is.
That’s not a statement of fact.
That’s a conclusion based on timing, behavior, and incentives.
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The bottom line
Stability is what these operations are looking for.
And as long as we get a good deal, this could be good:
• We could make money
• We could lock in long-term revenue
• We could leverage our power advantage
But the key word is deal.
If we’re going to use solar for business:
• We need transparency
• We need stability
• And we need to make sure the City — and residents — actually benefit
Big energy users don’t gamble.
They go where the power works — and where the deal makes sense.
Stephen
