Data Center Signal is tracking 13 clips about Applied Digital data center developments across 5 states, including ND, SD, IN, LA, MO.
Trucks from an Applied Digital AI data center construction project are causing significant damage to roads in Dickey County, North Dakota, leading to several closures. The Dickey County Commission is working with Applied Digital and the city of Ellendale to plan and fund repairs. The commission plans to discuss the issue further at an upcoming meeting.
Oliver County Commissioner Dave Berger abruptly resigned, citing intense public hostility and personal attacks over a data center moratorium. The debate centers on the county's authority to implement the moratorium and potential legal liabilities, highlighting broader concerns about civil discourse in local politics.
Applied Digital is actively conducting site work on a 672-acre parcel near Boyce, Louisiana, for a high-performance computing and AI facility, a project internally known as Project Lightning. The England Authority has created a special subdistrict for the property, and economic development organizations are discussing incentives, though a formal project announcement is still pending. Residents have raised concerns about utility costs and water usage.
South Dakota Governor Larry Rhoden signed a new state law to protect households and businesses from adverse effects of data centers, specifically concerning electricity and water services. The legislation empowers local governments to regulate data center construction and operation. This development follows a legislative session where lawmakers also rejected sales-tax breaks for data centers, impacting a project by Applied Digital.
Applied Digital is investing $75 million in power system upgrades for its data center near Harwood, North Dakota, while also exploring expansion in western North Dakota. This expansion has prompted Oliver and Mercer counties to enact data center moratoriums amid public concerns over power use, water, noise, and utility costs, leading to calls for more regulated development.
Applied Digital has announced that the future of its data center project in South Dakota is currently uncertain. The company's statement indicates potential challenges or unresolved issues affecting the project's development.
Applied Digital is investing $75 million in power system upgrades near Fargo, North Dakota, for its new AI data center in Harwood and exploring expansion in Oliver County. Following this, Oliver County and Mercer County both enacted moratoriums on data center development due to resident concerns. Public hearings are scheduled for the power project and another proposed data center.
The mayor of Ellendale, North Dakota, discussed the positive impact of a third data center being constructed in the community. He highlighted that the data centers, operated by Applied Digital, have been a good partner and are bringing necessary growth and sales tax revenue to the previously declining town.
The mayor of Ellendale, North Dakota, highlights the positive impact of data centers on his community, which already has two operational facilities with a third under construction. He views the data center operator, Applied Digital, as a good partner, stating that these facilities have been crucial for the town's survival.
The Oliver County Commission voted on a 180-day moratorium for data center construction in the county. Residents are increasingly frustrated with the debate, and there are concerns about potential lawsuits from landowners or companies if the moratorium is put in place long-term. A state's attorney warned the commission to consider the economic impact, interference with investment-backed expectations, and the character of the government action when implementing a moratorium.
Oliver County, North Dakota has approved a 180-day moratorium on new data center construction, temporarily blocking any projects while they study the issue further. This comes after the county's planning and zoning board urged a much longer three-year moratorium, and just days after neighboring Mercer County passed a one-year ban on new data centers. The decision was made at a packed county commissioners meeting where residents debated the future of data centers in the area. Applied Digital, a data center company, was present but did not go on the record, though they provided a statement saying they continue to monitor opportunities in the region.
A proposed $16 billion high-tech data center development in Franklin County, Missouri has sparked organized grassroots opposition from local residents concerned about its environmental impact.
Local fights against new data centers are gaining bipartisan support across the US as communities push back against the high energy and water demands of these facilities. Developers have canceled or delayed billions of dollars' worth of data center projects in the face of opposition. Key issues include rising electricity costs, pollution, and the environmental impacts of powering and cooling data centers.