Digi Power X Columbiana AI Data Center: 55MW High-Density HPC Campus Alabama USA

Status: Under Construction / Active Infrastructure Conversion | Location: 130 Industrial Parkway, Columbiana, AL 35051, United States

Project Overview

The Columbiana AI Data Center Campus is a flagship 55 MW high-density computing facility located in Shelby County, Alabama, developed to meet the rapidly expanding infrastructure requirements of artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, and hyperscale workloads. Digi Power X, through its subsidiary US Data Centers, Inc., has transformed the site from an existing industrial asset into an AI-ready data center campus capable of supporting demanding next-generation computing environments. A major component of the development is its 10-year, $1.1 billion anchor colocation agreement with Cerebras Systems, an AI chipmaker specializing in high-performance computing systems and large-scale artificial intelligence workloads. The long-term commitment provides a significant foundation for the campus and highlights the growing demand for dedicated infrastructure capable of accommodating advanced AI platforms. Designed specifically for extreme-density deployments and large language model (LLM) training, the Columbiana campus supports rack power densities exceeding 200 kW, allowing operators to deploy dense clusters of GPUs and specialized AI accelerators within a relatively compact footprint. The facility incorporates direct liquid cooling infrastructure to efficiently manage the substantial heat generated by high-density computing equipment, enabling sustained performance while reducing the limitations associated with conventional air-based cooling systems. Dedicated high-voltage utility feeds provide the campus with substantial electrical capacity and access to competitively priced power, supporting the energy-intensive requirements of AI workloads. Its location in Alabama also provides access to regional power infrastructure while positioning the campus within the growing U.S. data center market. By combining substantial power capacity, advanced liquid cooling, ultra-high rack density capabilities, and a major long-term AI customer, the Columbiana AI Data Center Campus represents an important development in the evolution of purpose-built AI infrastructure. The project demonstrates how existing industrial sites can be repurposed into specialized computing hubs capable of supporting the next generation of AI and hyperscale applications.

Quick Facts

Field	Value
Project Name	Digi Power X Columbiana AI Data Center: 55MW High-Density HPC Campus Alabama USA
Location	130 Industrial Parkway, Columbiana, AL 35051, United States
Status	Under Construction / Active Infrastructure Conversion
Commissioning	Phased Rollout Target (Phase 1 Target Q4 2026 / Phase 2 Target Q1 2027)
Total IT Load	40.0 MW Critical IT Power Capacity Allocation (out of 55 MW total gross site power)
Total Capacity	~18,500 m² (~200,000 sq ft) gross footprint / Purpose-built high-density AI colocation facility
Tier Level	Tier III / ANSI/TIA-942-C Certified Architecture
Project Type	Purpose-Built High-Performance Computing (HPC), AI Compute & High-Density Colocation Campus

City Profile

Header	Details
City Name	Columbiana
Population	4,500
Urban Agglomeration	Part of the Birmingham–Hoover metropolitan area, ~1.2 million
City GDP	Not separately reported; part of the Birmingham–Hoover metropolitan economy
Per Capita Income	~US$35,000–40,000 (estimated)
City Tier	Tier 3 – Emerging Digital Infrastructure & Industrial Hub
Key Strengths	Strategic location in central Alabama; proximity to Birmingham; access to regional highways and utility infrastructure; availability of industrial land; growing digital infrastructure investment; access to a broader skilled workforce; competitive operating costs; potential for large-scale AI and data center development.

Companies Involved

Header	Details
Developer / Operator	Digi Power X Inc.
Strategic Infrastructure Partner	Alabama Power (Southern Company) / Shelby County & City of Columbiana Economic Development Authorities
Construction Contractor	Specialized U.S. Mission-Critical EPC & Industrial Infrastructure Contractors
MEP Engineering	Digi Power X In-House Engineering Teams & High-Density Mission-Critical Partners
Network Connectivity	Carrier-neutral ecosystem, dual path-diverse subterranean fiber entrance vaults, dedicated Meet-Me-Rooms (MMRs), ultra-low latency 400G InfiniBand and Ethernet fabric interconnects, and dark fiber routes connecting to core southeastern telecom hubs in Birmingham and Atlanta.
Power Infrastructure	Direct dedicated high-voltage utility substation feeds, static 2N / N+1 uninterruptible power supply (UPS) modules, automated transfer switchgear (ATS), and multi-megawatt N+1 standby emergency diesel generator arrays with on-site fuel reserve autonomy.

Technical Specifications

Header	Details
Power Capacity	~55.0 MW Total Site Utility Substation Allocation
UPS Redundancy	2N / N+1 Static UPS Architecture
Cooling System	Direct-to-Chip Liquid Cooling (DLC) loops with closed-loop Coolant Distribution Units (CDUs), high-efficiency chiller plants with dry-cooler heat rejection, hot-aisle containment, and real-time BMS environmental monitoring.
Connectivity	Sub-millisecond optical fiber links connecting the Columbiana facility to regional carrier hotels, cloud exchanges, and distributed AI compute nodes across the eastern U.S.
PUE Target	< 1.30 Annualized Operational Design PUE
Energy Mix	Direct utility connection with access to Alabama Power's grid mix, augmented by corporate clean energy and sustainability initiatives.

Milestones

Header	Details
Announcement	Late 2024 / Early 2025
Construction Start	2025
Phase 1 Go-Live	Target Late 2026 (15 MW–22 MW IT Load Delivery)
Full Buildout	Target Q1 2027 (Incremental 25 MW–33 MW Phase 2 Delivery)

Investment Details

Header	Details
Total Investment	Estimated $440,000,000 USD Total Project Capital Expenditure
Funding	Corporate Capital Expenditure, Equipment Financing & Long-Term Debt Facilities (backed by long-term customer contract)