Minnesota AI Data Center Campus: CleanCore & Cerebras Specs
Status: Partially Energized / Under Development & Expansion | Location: State of Minnesota, United States
Project Overview
The McGregor AI Data Center Campus, internally designated as Project Merlin, is a 500-acre master-planned artificial intelligence and high-performance computing infrastructure development by Galaxy Digital in the McGregor Industrial Park near Waco, Texas. The campus is being developed to meet the rapidly increasing demand for large-scale AI infrastructure, with a focus on supporting ultra-dense computing environments for AI model training, inference, machine learning, and other accelerated workloads. Designed around the requirements of next-generation computing systems, the project incorporates dedicated electrical infrastructure, including a privately funded on-site substation, to provide reliable and scalable power delivery for high-density computing operations. Advanced thermal management is another key element of the development, with closed-loop water-recirculating cooling systems designed to efficiently remove heat generated by dense computing equipment while reducing overall water consumption. These systems can support sustained high-performance operations while improving resource efficiency across the campus. The project also incorporates acoustic attenuation structures to help control operational noise generated by critical infrastructure and maintain appropriate environmental standards for the surrounding area. Located within the ERCOT power market, the McGregor campus benefits from its position within Texas’s expanding energy and data center ecosystem, providing access to a large and interconnected electricity network. Its substantial land footprint also provides flexibility for future development and capacity expansion as AI computing requirements continue to grow. By combining dedicated power infrastructure, advanced cooling technology, acoustic management, and scalable campus planning, Project Merlin represents the transition toward purpose-built AI data centers designed to accommodate increasingly demanding artificial intelligence and high-performance computing workloads.
Quick Facts
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Project Name | Minnesota AI Data Center Campus: CleanCore & Cerebras Specs |
| Location | State of Minnesota, United States |
| Status | Partially Energized / Under Development & Expansion |
| Commissioning | Initial Phase Energized (Full Expansion Target Q1 2027) |
| Total IT Load | ~15.0 MW Initial IT Load (Expanding to 40.0 MW Critical IT Capacity) |
| Total Capacity | Purpose-built Tier III multi-suite AI data center campus supporting ultra-dense compute clusters |
| Tier Level | Tier III Certified Standards |
| Project Type | Purpose-Built High-Density AI Cloud Infrastructure & Supercomputing Colocation |
City Profile
| Header | Details |
|---|
| City Name | Minneapolis |
| Population | 425,115 (2024) |
| Urban Agglomeration | ~3.7 million Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area |
| City GDP | ~US$350.7 billion (2023 metropolitan-area GDP) |
| Per Capita Income | ~US$42,000+ |
| City Tier | Tier 1 – Major U.S. Economic & Technology Hub |
| Key Strengths | Strong corporate and financial-services base, healthcare and life sciences, technology, manufacturing, higher education, skilled workforce, extensive fiber connectivity, major transportation infrastructure, and access to the wider Minneapolis–Saint Paul business ecosystem. |
Companies Involved
| Header | Details |
|---|
| Developer / Operator | CleanCore Solutions |
| Strategic Infrastructure Partner | Local Minnesota Electrical Utility Providers, Monarch SPV HoldCo |
| Construction Contractor | Specialized Mission-Critical Engineering & Data Center Development Contractors |
| MEP Engineering | Mission-Critical Mechanical & High-Density Thermal Management Engineering Teams |
| Network Connectivity | Carrier-neutral facility with dual path-diverse subterranean fiber entrance vaults, dedicated Meet-Me-Rooms (MMRs), and high-bandwidth dark fiber interconnects to regional Midwest fiber corridors and major US internet exchange points. |
| Power Infrastructure | Redundant high-voltage commercial utility grid feeds, static N+1 / 2N uninterruptible power supply (UPS) modules with isolated distribution paths, automatic transfer switchgear (ATS), and N+1 emergency backup diesel generators with localized bulk fuel reserves. |
Technical Specifications
| Header | Details |
|---|
| Power Capacity | ~20 MVA Initial Utility Power (Expanding to 55 MVA Total Substation Capacity) |
| UPS Redundancy | Concurrently Maintainable Tier III N+1 / 2N Static UPS Architecture |
| Cooling System | Liquid-to-chip direct cooling infrastructure, high-density rear-door heat exchangers (RDHx), closed-loop chillers, cold-aisle containment, and air-side economization leveraging the cold Minnesota climate for free cooling. |
| Connectivity | Sub-millisecond optical dark fiber routes linking the campus directly to Minneapolis-St. Paul carrier nodes, Chicago internet exchanges, and major cloud availability zones. |
| PUE Target | < 1.20 Annualized Operational Design PUE |
| Energy Mix | Regional utility grid power integrated with energy efficiency optimization and clean power procurement initiatives. |
Milestones
| Header | Details |
|---|
| Announcement | July 2026 |
| Construction Start | Active In-Development / Partially Energized |
| Phase 1 Go-Live | Operational (15 MW IT Load Live) |
| Full Buildout | Q1 2027 Target Commercial Delivery (40 MW IT Load / 55 MW Utility) |
Investment Details
| Header | Details |
|---|
| Total Investment | ~$479,000,000 USD (Approved Initial Project Budget) |
| Funding | Joint Venture Capital ($500M Max Commitment by CleanCore Solutions / Debt & Equity Financing) |