Where North Dakota’s data centers stand: 26 facilities tracked statewide
Morton County's Planning and Zoning Commission has recommended approval of a revised data center ordinance, which now moves to the County Commission for a final vote on September 10. The county's existing data center moratorium remains in place, while North Dakota as a whole continues to see significant data center development with 26 tracked facilities across the state.
The Morton County Planning and Zoning Commission has recommended approval of a revised data center ordinance, forwarding the measure to the Morton County Commission for a final vote on September 10. The proposed ordinance would update Section 5-310 of the county’s land use code, introducing new rules for public notification, strengthening lighting regulations (requiring warmer nighttime lighting and preventing upward/outward shine), defining emergency generator usage, clarifying setback measurements, and prohibiting tonal noise from extending beyond property lines. Additional provisions, including recording setback agreements and defining permit violation correction timeframes, are expected to be added before the final commission meeting. Morton County’s existing data center moratorium remains active.
This development occurs as North Dakota experiences a significant expansion in its data center footprint, now tracking 26 facilities statewide. These facilities collectively account for 3,927 megawatts of capacity, with nearly three-quarters of this capacity still under construction or in the planning stages. Williams County leads the state with 10 tracked facilities and 1,710 megawatts, while Cass County follows with five facilities totaling 282 megawatts. Major projects include Atlas Power's 700-megawatt facility and Critical Data House's 455-megawatt Fighting Pike Data Center near Williston, and Applied Digital’s Polaris Forge campuses in Ellendale and Harwood.
Key players in the state's data center scene include Critical Data House, operating eight facilities, and Applied Digital with five. Utilities like Mountrail-Williams Electric Cooperative, Montana-Dakota Utilities, Minnkota Power Cooperative, and Cass County Electric Cooperative provide power across the Southwest Power Pool footprint, which encompasses all 26 tracked facilities. The state offers data centers benefits such as low climate risk and a grid with a 47.5% renewable energy mix, though the region faces medium-high water stress. Recent milestones include Applied Digital delivering its second building at Polaris Forge 1 and securing a 430-megawatt pre-lease at Polaris Forge 3, alongside the North Dakota Public Service Commission’s approval of a $110 million power project for Polaris Forge 2. The Fighting Pike Data Center is expected to complete its full buildout this month.