Leading sustainable data centre operator Applied Digital has broken ground on Delta Forge 1, an AI Factory campus.

Delta Forge 1 is designed to initially support 430MW of total utility power across two buildings, enabling up to 300MW of critical IT load. It could also be scaled considerably in 2028 and beyond, translating available power into live, high density AI capacity for hyperscale customers.

As a purpose-built campus, Delta Forge 1 has been engineered to support the power integration, advanced cooling and the operations required to run large-scale AI workloads reliably and efficiently.

“Delta Forge 1 represents the next stage of Applied Digital’s growth, as we continue to deliver AI infrastructure through disciplined execution,” said Wes Cummins, chairman and CEO of Applied Digital. “AI Factories succeed or fail based on how effectively power, cooling and operations are integrated.”

He added: “We believe this campus will be built to scale alongside hyperscale demand while delivering operational certainty for customers and lasting value for the communities where we operate.”

As demand for AI soars, converting power into operational AI capacity on schedule and at scale is a key challenge for data centre operators. Applied Digital said it aims to address this challenge by building AI Factories designed for what it calls “repeatable execution” across a growing portfolio of campuses to ensure consistency as scale increases.

The company broke ground on its US$3 billion AI Factory in North Dakota in September 2025 as it sought to expand the state’s role as an AI infrastructure leader in the US. Referred to as Polaris Forge 2, the site aimed to build on the success of its Polaris Forge 1 Ellendale campus – which was featured as Capacity’s data centre of the month in October 2025.

At the time, Cummins told Capacity that Applied Digital’s priority was to scale.

““We’re integrating advanced cooling technologies and modular power systems to optimise performance and sustainability as demand intensifies,” he said. “Partnering closely with CoreWeave will provide seamless deployment of AI workloads that require massive compute resources and flexibility.”

He added: “Ellendale won’t just keep pace with the AI revolution; it will help define the future of high-performance, sustainable AI infrastructure, all while fostering deep, long-term partnerships with the local community.”

For Delta Forge 1, the campus will initially consist of two 150MW facilities spanning more than 500 acres. Once operational – which is expected in mid-2027 – the campus could support more than 200 full-time employees and additional long-term contractors.

The company is advancing Delta Forge 1 in discussions with another prospective hyperscale customer and is eager to showcase the strong demand for purpose-built AI infrastructure that can support high-density workloads at scale.

“We expect Delta Forge 1 to leverage Applied Digital’s proprietary AI Factory blueprint, refined through the company’s Polaris Forge campuses in North Dakota and designed to be replicated across markets with consistency and precision,” Applied Digital said in its press release.

“We believe this repeatable platform approach enables Applied Digital to deliver multiple hyperscale-ready campuses without sacrificing performance, reliability, or responsible development.”

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