Applied Digital achieves Ready for Service for Phase 1 at Polaris Forge 1

Milestone demonstrates speed, scale, and execution for Artificial Intelligence (AI) infrastructure.

Applied Digital (NASDAQ: APLD) reported achieving a Ready for Service (RFS) milestone for the first 50 Megawatt (MW) phase at its Polaris Forge 1 AI Factory Campus in Ellendale, North Dakota. The completion aligns with the company’s objective to meet demand for AI infrastructure and reflects its capability to deliver projects on schedule, bolstering its competitive position in the sector.

The first building, part of a fully leased 100 MW facility, marks the initial phase of an approximately 15-year lease arrangement with CoreWeave, contributing an anticipated $11 billion in lease revenue. This deployment showcases Applied Digital's ability to scale operations and deliver critical IT load effectively.

Wes Cummins, CEO of Applied Digital, expressed that this milestone highlights the team’s efficiency in transitioning complex designs into operational capacity. He noted, “Bringing the first phase of Polaris Forge 1 online in record time establishes a new standard for data centers.” North Dakota is positioned to become a center for AI initiatives with the launch of this facility.

Laura Laltrello, COO of Applied Digital, added, “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.” The company's design incorporates liquid cooling technology and a power distribution system aimed at optimizing performance and minimizing water consumption.

Polaris Forge 1 is designed to expand to a total capacity of 1 gigawatt (GW) to address increasing demand within the AI and High performance computing (HPC) markets. These enhancements are projected to deliver $2.7 billion in lifecycle cost savings over 30 years due to the efficiency of the infrastructure and favorable environmental conditions in North Dakota.

This announcement follows Applied Digital's recent $5 billion lease agreement with a U.S.-based hyperscaler at the Polaris Forge 2 Campus in Harwood, North Dakota. Polaris Forge 1 has also been recognized as Capacity Magazine’s Data Center of the Month for October 2025.