Locator: 48647B.
Don’t forget that Doug Burgum, former North Dakota governor and one of the nation’s richest politicians, is in Trump’s inner circle. Williston is showing success with data centers; Fargo has to be salivating.
Fargo: a most interesting city in the US. IYKYK. The maps will eventually make sense:
A reader sent me a link regarding new natural gas pipelines in North Dakota, which we discussed some time ago. I'll provide the links down below.
Meanwhile, for folks following the AI industry and large data centers, I highly recommend using AI for tailored answers to one's specific questions.
Two specific questions I asked ChatGPT today:
- what are the largest AI data centers in the US; and
- what is meant by the different tiers (Tiers I through V).
With regard to the ten largest data centers in the US, I went down that rabbit hole. The DFW area (or as ChatGPT calls is, "Dallas") is #2 following "AI Alley" in Virginia.
"AI Alley" in Virginia refers to the Ashburn area, specifically in Loudoun and Fairfax counties, where a large concentration of data centers is located. This area, also known as "Data Center Alley" or the "Dulles Technology Corridor," is a major hub for internet traffic and is a critical location for the development and deployment of AI technologies.
One search led to this answer regarding the ten largest data centers in the US:
- Reno, NV, listed first
- Ashburn, VA, see above
- Secaucus, NJ
- Los Angeles
- Chicago
- Atlanta, GA
- Miami, FL
- Quincy, WA
- Bluffdale, UT
- Miami, FL (second time on this list
A much better question to ask ChatGPT: what are the metro areas in the US with the largest number of large data centers? The answer:
- Northern Virginia; "Data Center Alley"; "AI Alley"
- DFW, Texas
- Silicon Valley, northern California, across the bay from Oakland and south of San Francisco;
- Chicago
- Phoenix, Arizona
- Atlanta, Georgia
- Seattle/Quincy, Washington
- NY/NJ metro (Secaucus, Newark)
Next question to ask: is Fargo, ND going to be the home of large data centers, which, of course, pertains to the new natural gas pipelines being proposed in North Dakota, from the Bakken to Fargo.
The answer begins:
Fargo, D, is emerging as a potential hub for large-scale data center development, driven by its strategic location, robust infrastructure, and supportive policies.
Then this: two unnamed companies, each with trillion-dollar market capitalizations, are exploring the development of AI-focused data centers in North Dakota. These projects could start with capacities between 500MW and 1GW, potentially scaling up to 5 - 10GW facilities.
From the East Daley link below:
One driver behind these projects could be data centers. The Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported last year that North Dakota had the fastest relative growth in commercial electricity generation from 2019 to 2023, largely due to data center buildouts.
In the Data Center Demand Monitor, East Daley is only tracking four announced data center projects in North Dakota with estimated demand of ~82 MMcf/d (see map from the Data Center dashboard). But developers will often approach multiple potential partners about large projects prior to their announcement, which may have spurred these open seasons.
Fargo, in addition:
- intersection of two major US interstate highways;
- two major universities in the immediate area (yes, Grand Forks is in the immediate area)
- Grand Forks AFB, ND -- huge (google drones "Grand Forks AFB" -- see below)
- aeronautical school at UND, Grand Forks, world-renown
- excess energy -- natural gas from the Bakken
- huge, educated work force, scalable
- already established as a city that could become the AI center of the midwest
- least expensive electricity in the entire United States
Now, the two links to the new natural gas pipelines being proposed in North Dakota:
- from the blog, April 18, 2025; and,
- today's update, from Easy Daley, "The Daley Note." Archived here.
North Dakota data centers: link here.
- Williston, ND: 8
- Fargo, ND: 4
- Grand Forks: 2
- Bismarck: 1
- Ellendale: 1
South Dakota: 4
- all four in Sioux Falls, SD
*********************
Drones and Grand Forks AFB, ND
From AI:
- Grand Forks Air Force Base (AFB) in North Dakota utilizes drones for various missions, including intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR).
- They operate RQ-4 Global Hawk remotely piloted aircraft (RPAs) for these ISR roles.
- The base also has a small UAS (sUAS) program for threat surveillance and deterrence, deploying small commercial drones.
- Specifics of Drone Operations at Grand Forks AFB: RQ-4 Global Hawk:
- The primary drone operated by Grand Forks AFB is the RQ-4 Global Hawk, a high-altitude, long-endurance ISR aircraft.
- 319th Reconnaissance Wing: The 319th Reconnaissance Wing is the host unit and operates the RQ-4 Global Hawks.
- sUAS Program: The 319th Reconnaissance Wing also has a small UAS program, deploying small commercial drones for various purposes, including threat surveillance.
- Project ULTRA: Grand Forks AFB is also involved in Project ULTRA, a project that aims to enable Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone operations between the base and GrandSKY, an aviation innovation hub.
- FAA Regulations and Local Flight Controls: Drones are allowed in North Dakota for recreational and commercial use, subject to FAA regulations and local flight controls.
- Training: Grand Forks AFB provides formal training for RQ-4 pilots and sensor operators. Base-wide flying program:
- The small UAS program at Grand Forks AFB is a base-wide flying program, with operators from multiple units.
- Disaster recovery: The 319th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron also plans to implement drone use within their disaster recovery team.
How important is the valley from Grand Forks to Fargo .... maybe we need to ask Palantir. Perhaps folks remember:
In 2022, a Chinese company, Fufeng Group, purchased land near Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota, raising concerns about potential national security risks. The 300-acre purchase, located about 20 minutes from the base, was intended for a milling plant. This purchase and similar ones have prompted federal regulations to restrict foreign ownership of land near U.S. military bases, including Grand Forks, according to the Atlantic Council.
