Nakota AI data campus targets 1 GW with hydrogen power, low-water cooling

Nixxy and Tachyon 9 are developing the Nakota Data Campus in North Dakota, a proposed $1 billion AI data campus designed for up to 1 GW of AI computing capacity with on-site power and a low-water cooling approach. The project is tied to Nixxy’s proposed strategic combination with Tachyon 9.

Nixxy and Tachyon 9 describe Nakota as a “power-first” campus built around behind-the-meter generation using hydrogen-capable Baker Hughes turbine technology, with “pre-combustion decarbonization optionality.” The companies also say the energy strategy is expected to incorporate hydrogen-rich fuel blends generated from natural gas resources that would otherwise be flared.

On the cooling side, the campus is expected to use a closed-loop liquid cooling system that requires an initial water fill and then recirculates the water, rather than relying on evaporative cooling. For operators planning high-density AI deployments, that’s a straightforward design choice with practical implications: closed-loop systems are one of the few ways to keep water consumption from scaling linearly with IT load when evaporative systems are under scrutiny.

The site is described as approximately 620 acres in North Dakota’s “energy corridor,” with the project expected to benefit from abundant natural gas resources, cooler temperatures, existing energy infrastructure, and an industrial workforce. The first 120–150 MW of computing capacity is targeted to be operational in Q2 2027, subject to financing, regulatory approvals, and completion of the proposed transaction. Longer term, the plan is to scale to 1 GW.

Shahal Khan, Chairman of Burkhan World and CEO of Tachyon 9, said, “Firm on-site power, a pathway toward lower-carbon operations, and dramatically reduced water consumption represent what we believe the next generation of AI infrastructure should look like.”

Tachyon 9 says it would contribute approximately $64 million in equipment, land option rights for the Nakota project, and a signed LOI for the full 1 GW development as part of the transaction. Nixxy’s homepage is nixxy.com.