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Minnesota Data Center Intel
Latest data center news, projects, power and policy across Minnesota — updated daily.
Minnesota · Construction & power moves · 7
full tracker →Land, power, and interconnection moves across Minnesota — each traced to primary filings.
Recent Minnesota data center news
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State Broadband Bills of 2025: A Legislative Review
State legislatures across the United States enacted and considered broadband-related legislation in 2025; fewer than 140 of more than 600 proposed bills became law.
- Main actions: States enacted laws prioritizing infrastructure and permitting reforms, pole and rights-of-way access, criminal penalties for theft/vandalism, state broadband funding, and data center incentives. Notable enacted measures include Hawaii H 934 (established a state Broadband Office and programs, enacted in June and backed by $400 million in combined funding), West Virginia SB 907 (expanded the Economic Development Project Fund to allow up to $25 million annually for broadband incentives and up to $125 million annually for broadband loan insurance) and West Virginia HB 2014 (signed in April; created microgrid districts with zoning/permitting exemptions and special property tax treatment for qualifying projects).
- Additional details and timelines: States also raised criminal penalties (e.g., Oklahoma classified willful damage to a critical infrastructure facility as a Class D3 felony with fines up to $100,000 and prison up to 10 years; Louisiana authorized fines up to $50,000 and prison up to 20 years; California AB 476 increased penalties for knowingly buying illegally obtained scrap metal to $5,000). Other enacted programs include California SB 338 (a $2 million telehealth pilot), New Mexico SB 126 (Rural USF increased from $30 million to $40 million), and Oregon’s device support up to $100 in Lifeline-related assistance. At least 37 states passed data center incentives in 2025 and over 1,000 AI-focused bills were introduced nationwide, with ~38 states adopting or enacting roughly 100 AI measures in 2025.
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An FAQ on EQB (or, how environmental review in Minnesota works)
The Minnesota Environmental Quality Board (EQB) explains how the state environmental review program applies to proposed data center projects in Minnesota.
- Main announcement/action: The EQB describes the environmental review (ER) process used for projects including data centers, highlighting the Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) and Alternative Urban Areawide Review (AUAR) processes; the EAW is a 13-page worksheet with 22 standardized questions, and both the EAW and AUAR include a 30-day public comment period. The EQB provides technical assistance contact info: 651-757-2873 and Env.Review@state.mn.us, and links to the EQB Monitor and the Environmental Review project database.
- Background and details: Responsible Governmental Units (RGUs) prepare and review ER documents and must respond in writing to timely, substantive comments; the AUAR applies to residential, commercial, warehousing, and light industrial development and can preclude further project-specific review if future projects are consistent with the AUAR. The petition route allows citizens to request an EAW and requires describing likely effects plus 100 signatures with mailing addresses from the county or adjoining counties.
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Scorecard: Looking Back at Data Center Frontier’s 2025 Industry Predictions
Data Center Frontier published a 2025 scorecard grading eight data center industry trends and issued verdicts on each, emphasizing that power, cooling, and utility coordination dominated what shaped the industry in 2025.
- Main announcement: Data Center Frontier released a year-end scorecard evaluating eight core trends with graded verdicts (e.g., “VERDICT: MASSIVE HIT” for power constraints and hyperscale megacampuses; “VERDICT: STRONG HIT” for natural gas bridging supply). The article cites specific figures and deals including estimates that U.S. data center energy use could reach up to 12% of U.S. electricity by 2028 (Congressional Research Service), a reported $120+ billion of AI data center spending shifted off balance sheets (Financial Times), and Alphabet’s $4.75 billion acquisition of Intersect Power to align energy and compute deployment timelines.
- Background and details: The piece documents operational shifts in 2025—liquid direct-to-chip cooling moved to baseline design assumptions (TrendForce: DLC adoption ~33% in 2025), natural gas and behind-the-meter generation emerged as fast-to-deploy reliability options (ExxonMobil’s 1.5-GW plant plans and CCS pairing), and quantum and immersion cooling progressed technically but remained “Too Early” for broad adoption. It also notes concrete geographic and market examples (record-low primary market vacancy at 1.6% per CBRE; secondary market growth in Central Ohio, Indiana, Louisiana, Utah, Colorado, North Carolina, Tennessee).
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Some of the Wisconsinites working for environmental change in 2025 and beyond
WUWM revisits several Wisconsinites working for environmental change in 2025.
- Main focus: Profiles individuals and local efforts addressing climate, public health and land use — including Jariel Ramos (youth climate organizing and political ambition), Bazile Minogiizhigaabo Panek (Integrating Indigenous knowledge into natural resources management), David DeVooght (relocating buildings displaced by a Port Washington data center development), Lee Donahue (leading a Town of Campbell effort to build a municipal well), and Paul Florsheim (challenging shoreline access restrictions in Shorewood). Key factual items: $50 million municipal well project in the Town of Campbell to tap a deep uncontaminated aquifer; the Wisconsin DNR provided bottled water to more than 1,700 households for PFAS contamination; a cited fine of $313 in Shorewood; movers have relocated two barns from the Port Washington site and moved a pole barn about six miles.
- Background and project details: The Town of Campbell response followed state testing showing 97.3% of nearly 600 wells had PFAS; the municipal well project is described as a concrete remediation investment (cost $50 million) to secure PFAS-free water. The Shorewood case is pending a municipal judge decision expected early 2026. Vantage is named as the data center developer linked to the Port Washington site where structures are being relocated.
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Smart Building Environmental Monitoring With EC312-LoRaWAN Gateway
InHand Networks announced the EC312-LoRaWAN industrial gateway solution for smart building environmental monitoring in a press release distributed via ACCESS Newswire on December 30, 2025 from Chantilly, Virginia.
- Main announcement: InHand Networks unveiled the EC312-LoRaWAN industrial gateway as a low-power, wide-coverage solution for continuous monitoring of temperature, humidity, water leakage, and door/access status; the solution supports LoRaWAN sensors, built-in LNS, private LoRaWAN deployment, and multiple backhaul options (Ethernet, Wi‑Fi, cellular). The release was published via ACCESS Newswire on December 30, 2025 (Chantilly, Virginia).
- Background and details: The company highlights industrial-grade 24/7 operation, zero-code integration via InHand DSA, and a global footprint serving customers in over 60 countries including United States and China. Media contact listed: Eleanor Chen, Marketing & Communications (eleanor.chen@inhand.com). SOURCE: ACCESS Newswire press release.
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Credo Releases 2025 Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Report
Credo Technology Group Holding Ltd released its 2025 Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Report.
- Main announcement: Credo reported advances in energy-efficient connectivity aimed at supporting the energy-efficient growth of AI data centers, highlighted improvements across its product portfolio (targets for 100G, 200G, 400G, 800G and emerging 1.6T port markets), strengthened its Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, expanded employee programs, and broadened Credo Cares partnerships in 2025. The company’s CEO, Bill Brennan, is quoted describing product improvements and reduced power consumption efforts in 2025.
- Background and details: The report emphasizes product families including SerDes and DSP technologies, Integrated Circuits (ICs), Active Electrical Cables (AECs) and SerDes Chiplets; markets noted are optical and electrical Ethernet interconnects (100G–1.6T). The release links to Credo’s ESG page and includes media and investor contacts (diane.vanasse@credosemi.com, dan.oneil@credosemi.com).
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How industry boomed this year in Aroostook County
Presque Isle broke ground on a $6 million aerospace research park and VALT Enterprizes will expand into the new 72-acre park at Presque Isle International Airport.
- Main announcement: The city of Presque Isle and regional partners broke ground on a $6 million John F. Kennedy Aerospace Research Park (72 acres); VALT Enterprizes (Maine rocket company) will expand from the General Aviation Terminal into the new park. Maine DOT Director of Aviation Alan Lambert framed the project as bringing the “new space economy” to the state and estimated aerospace could add $1 billion annually to Maine’s GDP.
- Additional verified project details and timeline: Loring Commerce Centre redevelopment includes a $65 million Taste of Maine Potato Chip Co. plant (96,000 sq ft, expected to open April–May 2026, ~40 jobs, initial four kettles producing ~100,000 8‑oz bags/day, using ~1,500 acres of potatoes); LiquidCool Solutions leased >115,000 sq ft for what is described as Maine’s first AI data center (targeted to open within 6 months, starting at 5–6 MW and expandable up to 50 MW, ~20,000 servers); $3 million University of Maine Aroostook Farm research lab opened (funded by the Maine Jobs and Recovery Plan); McCain Foods agreed to acquire Penobscot McCrum and enter a long-term potato supply agreement; Amazon opened a Caribou delivery station after spending just over $4.4 million on renovations (part of Amazon’s >$4 billion rural delivery expansion).
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DCF Trends Summit 2025 - Beyond the Blueprint: The New Realities of Data Center Investment and Site Selection
Data Center Frontier hosted a panel session at the DCF Trends Summit 2025 summarizing that power scarcity, entitlement complexity, and community scrutiny are reshaping data center site selection and investment.
Main announcement/action: The panel (moderated by Ed Socia of datacenterHawk; panelists Denitza Arguirova of Provident Data Centers, Karen Petersburg of PowerHouse Data Centers, Brian Winterhalter of DLA Piper, Phill Lawson-Shanks of Aligned Data Centers, and Fred Bayles of Cologix) concluded that site selection has become power-first, with developers “chasing power, not square footage,” exploring on-site natural gas generation as a transitional measure, and prioritizing utility partnerships and credibility to secure entitlements. The session recap was published on December 29, 2025 and referenced regional opportunities in Pennsylvania, Alabama, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Minneapolis.
Background and details: Panelists noted that entitlement regimes in mature markets (e.g., Loudoun County, Prince William County) now demand higher-quality design, off-site infrastructure contributions, and sustained community engagement; sustainability discussions flagged that delivering more than 100 gigawatts of new capacity from renewables alone is not currently feasible, prompting mixed energy strategies and evolving PPA approaches. The DCF Trends Summit call for speakers for 2026 lists a proposal deadline of Jan. 9, 2026.
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BioLargo Reflects on 2025 Progress and Positions for the Next Phase of Global Infrastructure, Environmental, and Medical Innovation
BioLargo, Inc. delivered an open letter to stockholders summarizing 2025 progress and positioning its environmental, energy-storage (Cellinity), and medical (Clyra) platforms for commercial deployment in 2026.
- Main announcement: BioLargo reports deployment progress in 2025, including installation of its proprietary Aqueous Electrostatic Concentrator (AEC) for PFAS removal at a municipal plant in Lake Stockholm, New Jersey, advancing public-private plans for Cellinity battery factory development aligned with state/regional infrastructure priorities, and Clyra completing a first production run for ViaClyr with commercial distribution preparations and expected product launches in 2026.
- Background and details: Management emphasizes disciplined capital deployment and technical validation over rapid expansion; outlines use-cases across data centers, advanced manufacturing, energy storage, and environmental remediation; notes Clyra will present clinical findings at medical symposiums in early 2026 and that Cellinity is positioned as a domestic production alternative addressing safety and supply-chain concerns.
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Data centers revive polluting ‘peaker’ plants across U.S.
NRG Energy withdrew a planned retirement notice for the Fisk oil-fired peaker units as surging electricity demand from AI data centers in PJM territory made peaker plants economically viable.
- Main action: NRG Energy withdrew the retirement notice for Fisk’s eight oil-fired peaking units (December 2025) after AI data center demand drove prices in PJM higher; PJM said the market shows electricity demand outstripping supply and that existing generation is needed while new generation comes online. Key facts: Fisk = eight peaking units on former coal station site; EPA estimated sulfur dioxide 2 to 25 tons/year from the site; PJM prices to suppliers soared by more than 800% this summer.
- Background & other details: Reuters analysis found about 60% of oil, gas and coal plants slated for retirement in PJM postponed or cancelled retirements this year; 23 plants were scheduled to retire starting in 2025 in PJM territory, and since January 13 retirements were delayed or cancelled (of those, 11 were peakers). The U.S. Government Accountability Office notes peakers supply about 3% of the country’s power but have capacity to produce 19%, and federal actors (DOE/Administration) have signaled interest in tapping spare capacity.