DALLAS, TX (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) – Applied Digital achieved successful and on-time Ready for Service (RFS) for the first phase (50 MW), at the first 100 megawatt (MW) building at its Polaris Forge 1 AI Factory Campus in Ellendale, North Dakota. This milestone underscores Applied Digital’s execution as the company scales its AI infrastructure to meet contracted demand. In an environment where speed to market defines competitive advantage, delivering production-scale capacity on time reinforces Applied Digital’s position as a leading provider of AI-optimized infrastructure.
The Polaris Forge 1 Campus establishes a new operational benchmark for speed-to-power at scale. The first 100 MW building, now Ready for Service for its first phase (50 MW), marks the initial delivery of a fully leased 400 MW critical IT load deployment for CoreWeave under approximately 15-year lease agreements, representing an estimated $11 billion in anticipated lease revenue.
“This Ready for Service milestone is a clear demonstration of our team’s ability to convert highly complex AI Factory designs from blueprint to production with precision and speed,” said Wes Cummins, CEO of Applied Digital. “Bringing the first phase of Polaris Forge 1 online in record time establishes a new standard for the future of data centers. Our team continues to redefine what is possible in delivering the infrastructure that fuels AI.”
With the first phase of delivery now operational, Polaris Forge 1 in Ellendale further positions North Dakota as an emerging epicenter for AI in America’s heartland while propelling Applied Digital’s state-of-the-art AI Factory Campus into full production.
“Bringing this first building online while on track to deliver the next 50 MW before the end of the year spotlights our team’s precise execution, strategic planning, and strong alignment with our innovative partners,” said Laura Laltrello, COO of Applied Digital. “We design every element of our facilities to enable breakthrough capabilities, while optimizing energy performance, flexibility, and total cost of ownership.”
Purpose-built, Polaris Forge 1 is engineered to expand to 1 gigawatt (GW) over time to meet the rapidly intensifying demands of AI and high-performance computing and implements Applied Digital’s proprietary design, including liquid cooling and power distribution innovations with near-zero water consumption. Combined with North Dakota’s cool climate and access to renewable power, these efficiencies are estimated to yield $2.7 billion in lifecycle cost savings over 30 years, according to a recent company study.
This announcement comes on the heels of Applied Digital’s $5 billion AI Factory lease agreement with a U.S. Based Investment Grade Hyperscaler at its Polaris Forge 2 Campus in Harwood, North Dakota. In addition, Applied Digital’s Polaris Forge 1 Campus is featured as Capacity Magazine’s Data Center of the Month, October 2025.