Applied Digital has started construction on Delta Forge 1, a data center campus designed to deliver 430 MW of total utility power in an unnamed southern U.S. state, a project the company says will initially enable up to 300 MW of critical IT load. [1] [2]
The company’s January 22 announcement describes the first phase as two buildings of roughly 150 MW each sited on more than 500 acres, with initial operations targeted for mid-2027 and additional scaling possible in 2028 and beyond. [2] [3]
Applied Digital framed the build as an AI “factory” using the firm’s Polaris Forge blueprint and said it was in discussions with an investment‑grade hyperscale customer as it advances site development. [2]
Unlike most project disclosures, Applied Digital has not publicly named the specific town or county hosting Delta Forge 1; The Register reported the company is withholding the location in part because of previous local pushback to earlier projects and to give local officials time to prepare for heightened media attention. [1]
The developer’s press release and industry reporting highlight why the project matters to data center operators and local planners: a single campus converting 430 MW of utility power into hundreds of megawatts of IT capacity concentrates demands on grid interconnection, permitting, and site infrastructure that can affect timelines and capex decisions. [2] [3]
Applied Digital’s statement estimates the campus will create more than 200 full‑time jobs and long‑term contractor roles once complete. [2] The company also emphasized repeatable engineering and power‑integration approaches it says are intended to support high‑density AI workloads reliably. [2]
Industry coverage noted the company’s choice to keep the market vague while describing technical and schedule targets, calling the announcement “vague” about location even as it confirmed power and phasing details. [3]
For operators and utilities, the project underlines continued demand for large, concentrated power allocations by hyperscale AI customers and the resulting need for coordinated permitting, transmission planning and community engagement. The developer’s decision to delay naming the site also underscores how local reaction and media attention can shape disclosure timelines for large campuses. [1] [2] [3]
Applied Digital’s public materials do not disclose a signed lease or the identity of the prospective hyperscale customer, and the company’s timeline is presented as an expected schedule rather than a guaranteed delivery date. [2]
