ABB has announced an expanded partnership with Applied Digital to supply medium and low voltage power infrastructure for Applied Digital’s second AI Factory data center campus, Polaris Forge 2, in North Dakota. ABB reports this project demonstrates its scalable power architecture for large-scale, AI-ready data centers, targeting the growing energy demands of artificial intelligence workloads. ABB’s order for the Polaris Forge 2 campus was booked in the fourth quarter of 2025.
The Polaris Forge 2 campus is planned for 300 megawatts of capacity, built in two 150-megawatt phases, with operations scheduled to begin in 2026 and 2027. The design supports future expansion, according to ABB. The campus leverages ABB’s HiPerGuard medium voltage uninterruptible power supply (UPS) technology and advanced medium voltage switchgear. ABB claims this transition from low voltage to medium voltage architecture improves power density, energy efficiency, and allows scaling in 25 megawatt blocks, minimizing cabling and enhancing reliability. ABB notes this is intended to deliver high efficiency and projected low Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) for the campus.
Applied Digital has reported that the first 200 megawatts of the Polaris Forge 2 campus will be leased to a US-based hyperscale operator. ABB’s initial collaboration with Applied Digital began in June 2025, supporting the design and buildout of the 400 megawatt Polaris Forge 1 AI Factory campus in Ellendale, North Dakota, which also uses the HiPerGuard platform.
Todd Gale, Chief Development Officer at Applied Digital, stated, “Our partnership with ABB reflects Applied Digital’s commitment to redefining what is possible in data center scale and performance,” and continued, “Polaris Forge 2 represents the next evolution of our AI Factory model – beginning with two 150-megawatt buildings with the ability to scale – solidifying our position as a leader in delivering high-performance, energy-efficient AI infrastructure.”
Massimiliano Cifalitti, ABB Smart Power President, said, “As AI reshapes data centers, ABB is working with leading digital infrastructure innovators to introduce a new generation of advanced power system solutions.” He added, “The medium voltage architecture developed with Applied Digital is a big step forward for large-scale AI facilities. Working together closely from the start enabled both teams to identify opportunities to drive higher efficiency, performance and reliability, along with lower costs and faster time to market.”
Source: ABB
