- Applied Digital adds a 150 MW lease with CoreWeave, and the agreement expands Polaris Forge 1 to 400 MW.
- The site can scale to 1 GW, and it uses renewable energy and North Dakota’s climate to cut long-term costs.
What happened: Applied Digital signs new 150 MW lease with CoreWeave
Applied Digital signs a new 150 MW lease with CoreWeave at its Polaris Forge 1 Campus in Ellendale, North Dakota, and this brings total contracted IT capacity to 400 MW and expected lease revenue to about $11 billion, and this includes $7 billion from two earlier 15-year leases signed in May. The third building at Polaris Forge 1 is now in planning and is expected to be in full use by 2027. The site is designed to scale to 1 GW, and it uses renewable energy and North Dakota’s cool climate to support high-density compute for AI and high-performance workloads, and it is expected to create cost savings of $2.7 billion over 30 years.
Also read: CoreWeave’s Q2 surge signals AI-cloud momentum
Also read: CoreWeave merger faces shareholder revolt
Why it is important
This step shows growth in AI infrastructure in regions that had little focus before. It also shows the move from standard data centres to modular designs with eco-friendly methods. Applied Digital’s Polaris Forge model uses cold weather and low-cost energy in North Dakota. These conditions help build efficient compute hubs and match the rising demand for AI and high-performance computing.
The deal shows how long-term leases can create stable financial flow and support expansion. The $11 billion in committed revenue places Applied Digital in a stronger role in the AI infrastructure market. This comes as the company moves toward a real estate investment trust model. The focus on renewable power and site design supports sustainable infrastructure. The staged plan for three buildings makes the timeline steady and reduces risk. The large scale of the project still brings issues in rules, funding, and construction.
