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North Dakota Data Center Intel
Latest data center news, projects, power and policy across North Dakota — updated daily.
Recent North Dakota data center news
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Hitachi Energy, Grid United Advance North Plains Connector to Link Eastern and Western Grids
Hitachi Energy and Grid United have formalized an Engineering Services Agreement (ESA) to advance the North Plains Connector (NPC) HVDC project.
Announcement details: The ESA (announced Oct. 2, 2025) tasks Hitachi Energy with early-stage engineering services for the ±525 kV, 3-GW, ~420-mile HVDC line between Colstrip, Montana and endpoints in Center and St. Anthony, North Dakota, including technical specifications for two HVDC converter stations, valve hall layouts, control-system architecture, harmonic mitigation studies, dynamic and steady-state modeling, and AC–DC interface definitions for integration with MISO, SPP, and WECC. Grid United will advance corridor refinement, land-rights acquisition, stakeholder engagement, environmental permitting support, and supply-chain sequencing for long-lead items; procurement timelines will be aligned with permitting and construction schedules.
Background and concrete project details: The NPC is a $3.2 billion project that received $700 million from DOE’s GRIP program (with a $2.8 billion recipient cost share); Grid United expects approvals in 2026, potential construction begin in 2028, and operation in 2032. An Astrapé/PNNL-reviewed evaluation estimated an ELCC of ~3,550 MW and quantified reliability benefits (~1,800 MW for WECC, 1,350 MW for SPP, 400 MW for MISO). The ESA is an enabling engineering step but does not constitute a final investment decision.
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New Data Center Developments: September 2025
DataCenterKnowledge published a curated roundup of recent global data center project announcements and large power and financing deals.
- Key development summary: The roundup details multiple major projects and deals, including Equinix’s new partnerships with Radiant, ULC-Energy, and Stellaria for next-gen nuclear power and expanded solid-oxide fuel cell use with Bloom Energy; Caterpillar agreed with Joule Capital Partners to provide 4 GW of CHP power for a planned Utah campus (target launch sometime next year); Meta’s Hyperion Louisiana campus is expected to consume up to 5 GW; CoreWeave bought a 102-acre campus for $322 million; Vantage revealed plans to invest over $25 billion in a 1.4 GW / 1,200-acre Texas campus; EdgeConneX and Lambda are developing a 30+ MW dual-city AI data center in Chicago and Atlanta; Oracle / Elea / Rio de Janeiro target 1.5 GW by 2027 (expandable to 3.2 GW by 2032) for ‘Rio AI City’.
- Background and technical/financial details: The article frames projects against record-breaking demand and grid limitations; it notes energy and cooling approaches such as CHP and captured waste heat, solid-oxide fuel cells, high-voltage battery storage, and CDC Australia’s proposed 200 MW campus with a closed-loop zero-water primary cooling system. It also lists financing and deal figures: QTS announcing a $10 billion campus, STACK investing $1.66 billion in Johor, NEXTDC adding A$3.5 billion new debt within A$6.4 billion total facilities, and Keppel raising $4.9 billion this year toward a $150 billion funds target by 2030.
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Planet TV Studios’ 'New Frontiers' Spotlights Companies Shaping Their Industries - Airing April 26, 2025 on Bloomberg TV - The content in the episode is a Planet TV Studios Original & it is brought to you by & sponsored by Planet TV Studios
Planet TV Studios presents its documentary series episode “New Frontiers” focusing on companies driving impactful innovation in sustainability, healthcare, and infrastructure.
- Hollobus Technologies pioneers sustainable data centers with liquid-cooling systems and on-site renewable energy reducing energy and carbon footprint.
- Mirion Technologies enhances safety in medical imaging and radiation use with advanced monitoring and shielding products.
- MonDak Portables, LLC offers eco-friendly portable infrastructure with rapid deployment for disaster relief incorporating sustainable waste management.
- NeOnc Technologies Holdings, Inc. innovates brain cancer treatment with intranasal drug delivery bypassing blood-brain barrier, utilizing NEO100 nasal spray.
- The episode aired on April 26, 2025, on Bloomberg TV and is available on multiple streaming platforms.
This episode underscores practical and sustainable technological advances influencing health, environmental stewardship, and infrastructure.
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Minnesota lawmakers squabble over data centers, possible environmental impacts
Minnesota lawmakers have debated a bipartisan bill to change the permitting processes for data centers in the state, pushed by Sen. Andrew Mathews. The bill aims to loosen restrictions on generator permits, currently limited to emergency use. This has raised concerns among Democrats about potential environmental impacts and the influence of large corporations like Amazon, Microsoft, and Meta. Some lawmakers propose legislation to regulate water use and enforce a 65% carbon-free energy supply for data centers, emphasizing the growing energy demands and water usage they entail.
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Lawmakers Scrutinize Power Sector’s Future as Surging Demand Raises Alarms
US-based Basin Electric Power Cooperative has raised concerns in Congress regarding the escalating demand for electricity, specifically noting a significant increase tied to AI-driven data centers and industrial loads. They estimate a need for nearly $10 billion in compliance costs due to new regulations alongside an expected 60% increase in rates by 2035. The demand for natural gas is projected to triple from 2024 to 2030, emphasizing the urgent need for enhanced natural gas infrastructure to maintain grid reliability. Furthermore, PJM Interconnection’s forecasts predict a summer peak demand of up to 220,000 MW by 2039, driven by demand from emerging technologies and manufacturing.
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Losing construction sectors under Trump
The Trump administration’s energy policies have left the wind and solar sectors essentially unsupported, as a significant executive order temporarily suspended new leases for wind projects. This decision affects the development of ongoing and future renewable projects in the U.S. Additionally, the administration indicated potential cuts in funding for EV infrastructure, voicing plans to rescind the electric vehicle mandate established by Biden.
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National Grid Renewables Announces Start of Operations at Two Solar Projects in Southern Minnesota
US-based National Grid Renewables has announced the start of operations at its Fillmore County Solar (45 MW) and Louise Solar (50 MW) projects, which are located in Southern Minnesota. Together, these projects will deliver a combined 95 megawatts of clean, homegrown solar power. Xcel Energy has executed power purchase agreements for both projects, contributing to Xcel’s commitment to deliver 100% carbon-free electricity by 2050. The projects are anticipated to avoid more than 2 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions over their first 20 years of operation.
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Data center, crypto operations in 10 states drive all US commercial power sales growth since 2019: EIA
Data centers in 10 states led 1% growth in US commercial electricity sales since 2019, per the EIA. Virginia, Texas, South Carolina, and Arizona saw significant demand growth, while North Dakota had the highest at 37%. The agency predicts a 3% increase in 2022 sales, influenced by large-scale computing facilities and crypto operations.
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Commercial electricity demand grew fastest in states with rapid computing facility growth
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MISO faces capacity shortfall next summer in northern, central regions, annual survey finds
MISO faces a capacity shortfall in northern and central regions next summer, prompting immediate action to address new capacity needs. MISO CEO John Bear stresses collaboration with state regulators is essential. Reports suggest insufficient power supply levels, with risks from rapid power plant retirements. Upsides include potential for new capacity.