Applied Digital, a builder and operator of next-generation data centers, has launched an infrastructure partnership with ABB at the company’s greenfield 400 MW campus in North Dakota, United States.
The collaboration will innovate fast, reliable, energy-efficient solutions to meet the needs of rapidly advancing artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities.
As part of this long-term partnership, the first orders were booked in Q4 2024 and Q1 2025. Further financial details of the partnership were not disclosed.
Central to the partnership is a new medium voltage power architecture using ABB’s HiPerGuard Medium Voltage Static Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS), an industry first technology.
HiPerGuard solutions help AI data centers increase power density while compressing electrical plant footprints and increasing energy efficiency.
The partnership covers the complete design and development of the site’s electrical infrastructure, optimized to improve the efficiency and resilience of major AI facilities.
Conventional data centers use low voltage power distribution and UPS systems. Switching to medium voltage for the UPS system and power distribution enables data centers to scale more efficiently, expanding in 25 MW blocks.
With fewer parts and cabling, installation is simpler and reliability is higher. Running operations with higher voltages, lower conversion losses and less heat generation supports greater energy efficiency.
Todd Gale, chief development officer, from Applied Digital, says: “What we are building with ABB is going to completely change the way our industry designs large-scale data centers.
“By leveraging ABB’s cutting-edge technology and global reach, we are able to redefine the electrical infrastructure landscape and meet the growing demands to support large scale AI Factories.”
Massimiliano Cifalitti, smart power president, ABB Electrification, says: “Partnerships like this are accelerating the timeline for AI-ready data centers with more competitive, resilient power infrastructures.
“ABB’s technology is designed for peak performance with dedicated capacity across our global production network and industry-leading innovation. ABB teams are ready to deliver at scale and at speed.”
ABB’s early investment in next-generation medium voltage UPS technology is paying off. Early adopters of ABB’s HiPerGuard solution include large-scale data centers and research facilities in North America and Europe that want more energy efficiency and higher power density.
With AI’s power densities driving an overhaul of power architectures, ABB’s medium voltage UPS solution is unlocking a more efficient future for data centers.
