TELUS breaks ground on world-leading Kamloops Data Centre

State-of-the-art, environmentally-friendly Internet Data Centre will create more than 200 construction jobs and 75 permanent skilled positions; will use up to 80 per cent less power than traditional facilities 

KAMLOOPS, BC, June 29, 2012 /CNW/ - TELUS today broke ground for construction of its Kamloops Internet Data Centre. Once complete in July 2013, the facility will draw upon green hydro power, natural cooling and other technology to be one of the most environmentally sustainable, secure and reliable operations of its kind in the world.

The site will use up to 80 per cent less power than a typical data centre of its size and is designed to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold standard.

The new facility will be a cornerstone of TELUS' next-generation cloud computing solutions, giving clients a competitive edge by allowing them to focus on their core business knowing their data is effectively stored in one of the greenest and most secure data centres anywhere.

"I would like to take this opportunity to extend my sincere gratitude to the City of Kamloops, the Kamloops School District, the Province of British Columbia and our TELUS team in the Thompson Okanagan for their support of our investment," said Darren Entwistle, TELUS President and CEO. "Our Kamloops Data Centre will offer unsurpassed connectivity, superior functionality, state-of-the art security and industry-leading reliability for our clients, whilst creating 200 construction jobs and 75 long-term skilled technical jobs in the community."

"High-tech facilities like TELUS' Internet Data Centre in Kamloops are critically important to British Columbia's economic growth and I want to thank TELUS for this important investment in our province," said B.C. Premier Christy Clark. "TELUS will create 75 permanent jobs you can raise a family on while continuing our province's legacy of environmental stewardship. TELUS is already our province's largest private employer, and we are pleased they continue to see B.C. as a place to expand their business."

The Kamloops data centre has been designed modularly, allowing TELUS to steadily increase the space for technical equipment and tailor services to meet the changing information technology and storage needs of clients, including small businesses, large corporations and government bodies. Once all seven modules are ultimately complete, including the centre's administrative offices, the facility will cover 215,000 square feet.

Throughout the project, TELUS will consult with multiple partners experienced in the design and construction of such specialized facilities around the world. To support the local economy and improve onsite coordination during construction, TELUS will work with local companies where possible.

Adopting the LEED rating system for new buildings is part of TELUS' commitment to reducing environmental impact across its operations. TELUS conducted a thorough review of many potential properties in B.C. communities and after careful evaluation selected Kamloops because of features that will make the facility one of the greenest and most effective data centres in the world - low earthquake risk, access to TELUS' network and clean power, a climate suited to environmentally-sound cooling, and access to a skilled workforce.

Similar to TELUS' Rimouski Data Centre that will open in September of 2012, this data centre will have an annual Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) rating of 1.15, meaning it will use up to 80 per cent less power than an average facility of its size. A key element of the data centre's efficient design is an advanced system to cool the servers that takes advantage of Kamloops' natural low humidity to draw in outside air, allowing the facility to consume 86 per cent less water for cooling than typical data centres.

"We recognize that people want to work for and with organisations that take an interest in their community, and in keeping with the values of the TELUS brand we put an emphasis on environmental sustainability right from the initial planning stages of this project," said Mr. Entwistle. "This will truly be a facility in its own class, a visible symbol of TELUS' focus on corporate social responsibility and deep commitment to our brand promise, the future is friendly."

In addition to the $75 million data centre, TELUS will invest $25 million in Kamloops over the next three years to expand 4G LTE - the fastest wireless technology in the world - to the community and bring Optik TV to even more neighbourhoods.

TELUS' commitment to Kamloops extends beyond sustainable employment and investments in critical infrastructure. Through a unique fundraising program, TELUS is contributing $425,000 to the Royal Inland Hospital's ICU capital campaign, as a result of donating $100 on behalf of every new Optik TV and smartphone customer in the community. A similar program raised $125,000 for the North Shore Kamloops Library Computer Lab. Since 2000, TELUS, its team members and retirees in Kamloops have donated more than $1.2 million and volunteered nearly 80,000 hours to local charitable and community organizations.

In addition, the TELUS Thompson Okanagan Community Board, launched in September 2011, is making a significant impact in Kamloops and surrounding communities. By year-end, the Board will have donated $400,000 to community projects and initiatives that help educate, support and empower children and youth to realize their full potential.

About TELUS
TELUS (TSX: T, T.A; NYSE: TU) is a leading national telecommunications company in Canada, with $10.5 billion of annual revenue and 12.7 million customer connections including 7.4 million wireless subscribers, 3.5 million wireline network access lines and 1.3 million Internet subscribers and more than 550,000 TELUS TV customers. Led since 2000 by President and CEO, Darren Entwistle, TELUS provides a wide range of communications products and services including wireless, data, Internet protocol (IP), voice, television, entertainment and video.

In support of our philosophy to give where we live, TELUS, our team members and retirees have contributed more than $260 million to charitable and not-for-profit organisations and volunteered 4.2 million hours of service to local communities since 2000. Eleven TELUS Community Boards across Canada lead TELUS' local philanthropic initiatives. TELUS was honoured to be named the most outstanding philanthropic corporation globally for 2010 by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, becoming the first Canadian company to receive this prestigious international recognition.

For more information about TELUS, please visit telus.com.

Shawn Hall
TELUS Media Relations
604-619-7913
[email protected]