AI data center sites in Minnesota

87 Minnesota counties scored on transmission, the interconnection queue, power price and tax. Updated October 18, 2026.

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Open a county for its queue requests, substations, plants and data centers.

CountyScorePipelinePower price
66611 MW9.8¢/kWh
65888 MW9.8¢/kWh
611.1 GW9.8¢/kWh
6155 MW9.8¢/kWh
60-9.8¢/kWh
60136 MW9.8¢/kWh
5580 MW9.8¢/kWh
54550 MW9.8¢/kWh
54532 MW9.8¢/kWh
531.1 GW9.8¢/kWh
53-9.8¢/kWh
51150 MW9.8¢/kWh
50299 MW9.8¢/kWh
49935 MW9.8¢/kWh
49500 MW9.8¢/kWh
49200 MW9.8¢/kWh
49-9.8¢/kWh
48350 MW9.8¢/kWh
48200 MW9.8¢/kWh
47325 MW9.8¢/kWh
47-9.8¢/kWh
46599 MW9.8¢/kWh
46360 MW9.8¢/kWh
44931 MW9.8¢/kWh
44-9.8¢/kWh
446 MW9.8¢/kWh
4240 MW9.8¢/kWh
41730 MW9.8¢/kWh
41500 MW9.8¢/kWh
41200 MW9.8¢/kWh
40295 MW9.8¢/kWh
4050 MW9.8¢/kWh
391.5 GW9.8¢/kWh
39150 MW9.8¢/kWh
39-9.8¢/kWh
38350 MW9.8¢/kWh
38-9.8¢/kWh
38-9.8¢/kWh
371.1 GW9.8¢/kWh
37700 MW9.8¢/kWh
37-9.8¢/kWh
37-9.8¢/kWh
37-9.8¢/kWh
36700 MW9.8¢/kWh
36241 MW9.8¢/kWh
36-9.8¢/kWh
36-9.8¢/kWh
35368 MW9.8¢/kWh
356 MW9.8¢/kWh
34302 MW9.8¢/kWh

Pipeline: active generation and storage requests in the ISO queue, or EIA planned plants where larger (outside the ISOs). Top kV: highest substation voltage. Power price: the state's industrial average. DCs: GPU colocation, mining sites and AI campuses.

What the data shows

The strongest Minnesota counties for a large AI load are Sherburne County (66), Dakota County (65) and Goodhue County (61) on the site score. Minnesota sits in MISO and SPP; its ISO queues hold 18 GW of active generation and storage requests, 200 MW of them with a signed interconnection agreement, and it has 38 substations at 345 kV and up.

Industrial power averaged 9.8¢/kWh (EIA, July 2026 YTD), against 9.3¢/kWh a year earlier, the 33rd lowest of the 50 states and DC. Minnesota has a data center sales and use tax exemption in force. We track 3 AI campuses and 17 GPU-ready colocation facilities here.

Top 6 counties in detail

1. Sherburne CountyMISO

Site score 66 of 100

Transmission
16/25
Generation pipeline
9/20
Industrial power price
16/20
Existing and retiring plants
15/15
Sales tax exemption
10/10
Data center activity
0/10
Market
MISO
Queue (active)
142 MW
Agreement signed
0 MW
Planned plants (EIA)
611 MW
Top substation
345 kV
Substations 230 kV+
2
Operating plants
2.7 GW
Retired or retiring
2.5 GW
Industrial power, MN
9.8¢/kWh
Sales tax exemption
Yes

Largest queue requests

ProjectPoint of interconnectionMWTypeStage
RICE LAKE SWITCH ELSM11 - ZIMMERMAN TAP - SS2858 - ELS1 69.0kVMISO J3439, in service 2026-10RICE LAKE SWITCH ELSM11 - ZIMMERMAN TAP - SS2858 - ELS1 69.0kV72SolarIn study
ELK RIVER 14MISO J3289, in service 2026-06ELK RIVER 1460Solar or wind + storageIn study
Sherburne 345kVMISO S1072, in service 2025-08Sherburne 345kV10Other or not statedIn study

Substations, 115 kV and up

  • SHERBURNE COUNTY · 7 lines345 kV
  • ELK RIVER · 2 lines230 kV
  • Unnamed · 3 lines115 kV

Planned, retiring and retired plants

  • Sherburne County · Coal, retiring 20261.7 GW
  • Sherburne County · Coal, retired 2023765 MW
  • Sherco BESS · Storage, planned 2027600 MW

2. Dakota CountyMISO

Site score 65 of 100

Transmission
16/25
Generation pipeline
6/20
Industrial power price
16/20
Existing and retiring plants
11/15
Sales tax exemption
10/10
Data center activity
5/10
Market
MISO
Queue (active)
888 MW
Agreement signed
0 MW
Planned plants (EIA)
0 MW
Top substation
345 kV
Substations 230 kV+
2
Operating plants
1.1 GW
Retired or retiring
627 MW
Industrial power, MN
9.8¢/kWh
Sales tax exemption
Yes

Largest queue requests

ProjectPoint of interconnectionMWTypeStage
HAMPTON 345 KVMISO J2716, in service 2027-04HAMPTON 345 KV300StorageIn study
Nininger 115 kVMISO J4065, in service 2030-06Nininger 115 kV200StorageIn study
CHUB LAKE - 304JB21/22 - HAMPTON - 8S50/51 345.0kVMISO J2027, in service 2024-10CHUB LAKE - 304JB21/22 - HAMPTON - 8S50/51 345.0kV150SolarIn study
Chub Lake 115 kVMISO J3543, in service 2028-06Chub Lake 115 kV135StorageIn study
GRE-NININGR7 115 kVMISO J3172, in service 2026-06GRE-NININGR7 115 kV100StorageIn study
CANNON FALLS TRANSM.MISO J3219, in service 2023-04CANNON FALLS TRANSM.3HydroIn study

Substations, 115 kV and up

  • HAMPTON · 4 lines345 kV
  • INVER HILLS · 3 lines345 kV
  • BLACK DOG · 9 lines115 kV
  • ROGERS LAKE · 6 lines115 kV
  • Unnamed · 3 lines115 kV
  • Unnamed · 3 lines115 kV
  • Unnamed · 3 lines115 kV
  • Unnamed · 3 lines115 kV

Planned, retiring and retired plants

  • Black Dog · Gas, retiring 2031325 MW
  • Inver Hills · Gas, retiring 2029284 MW

Data centers, AI campuses and mining sites

  • Meta Rosemount data center (UMore Park) · AI campus, under construction · Epoch AI
  • DataBank MSP2 · GPU colocation, Eagan, 5 MW

Colocation from our GPU colocation list; mining sites from the miner AI conversion tracker.

3. Goodhue CountyMISO

Site score 61 of 100

Transmission
16/25
Generation pipeline
7/20
Industrial power price
16/20
Existing and retiring plants
8/15
Sales tax exemption
10/10
Data center activity
4/10
Market
MISO
Queue (active)
1.1 GW
Agreement signed
0 MW
Planned plants (EIA)
0 MW
Top substation
345 kV
Substations 230 kV+
2
Operating plants
1.6 GW
Retired or retiring
0 MW
Industrial power, MN
9.8¢/kWh
Sales tax exemption
Yes

Largest queue requests

ProjectPoint of interconnectionMWTypeStage
NROC 3 (601039) to PR ISLD3 (601003) 345 kV lineMISO J4168, in service 2028-04NROC 3 (601039) to PR ISLD3 (601003) 345 kV line330StorageIn study
Hampton - Prairie Island 345.0kVMISO J3399, in service 2028-08Hampton - Prairie Island 345.0kV300SolarIn study
North Rochester - Prairie Island 345.0kVMISO J4117, in service 2030-09North Rochester - Prairie Island 345.0kV240StorageIn study
NORTH ROCHESTERMISO J2501, in service 2024-11NORTH ROCHESTER150SolarIn study
Other_MISO J4096, in service 2030-01Other_120WindIn study

Substations, 115 kV and up

  • NORTH ROCHESTER · 6 lines345 kV
  • MAXWELL · 5 lines345 kV
  • CANNON FALLS TRANS · 4 lines161 kV
  • SPRING CREEK · 2 lines161 kV

Data centers, AI campuses and mining sites

Colocation from our GPU colocation list; mining sites from the miner AI conversion tracker.

4. Hennepin CountyMISO

Site score 61 of 100

Transmission
18/25
Generation pipeline
2/20
Industrial power price
16/20
Existing and retiring plants
5/15
Sales tax exemption
10/10
Data center activity
10/10
Market
MISO
Queue (active)
55 MW
Agreement signed
0 MW
Planned plants (EIA)
0 MW
Top substation
345 kV
Substations 230 kV+
3
Operating plants
696 MW
Retired or retiring
0 MW
Industrial power, MN
9.8¢/kWh
Sales tax exemption
Yes

Largest queue requests

ProjectPoint of interconnectionMWTypeStage
Riverside 115kV SubstationMISO J3213, in service 2026-12Riverside 115kV Substation55GasIn study

Substations, 115 kV and up

  • Unnamed · 7 lines345 kV
  • PARKERS LAKE · 7 lines345 kV
  • EDEN PRAIRIE · 4 lines345 kV
  • RIVERSIDE · 8 lines115 kV
  • MAIN ST · 6 lines115 kV
  • HIAWATHA · 4 lines115 kV
  • WILSON · 4 lines115 kV
  • Unnamed · 4 lines115 kV

Data centers, AI campuses and mining sites

  • Cogent Minneapolis Office and Data Center · GPU colocation, Minneapolis
  • Cologix MIN1 · GPU colocation, Minneapolis
  • Cologix MIN2 · GPU colocation, Minneapolis
  • Cologix MIN3 · GPU colocation, Minneapolis
  • Cologix MIN4 · GPU colocation, Minneapolis, 3.4 MW
  • Cologix MIN5 · GPU colocation, Minneapolis, 1.5 MW
  • DataBank MSP1 · GPU colocation, Edina, 1.35 MW, liquid cooling
  • DataBank MSP3 (Brooklyn Park campus) · GPU colocation, Brooklyn Park, 9 MW, liquid cooling
  • DataBank MSP4 · GPU colocation, Minneapolis, 0.779 MW
  • EdgeConneX MSP01 · GPU colocation, Eden Prairie, 1.35 MW
  • US Signal MN01 · GPU colocation, Eden Prairie, 5.4 MW

Colocation from our GPU colocation list; mining sites from the miner AI conversion tracker.

5. St. Louis CountyMISO

Site score 60 of 100

Transmission
25/25
Generation pipeline
0/20
Industrial power price
16/20
Existing and retiring plants
4/15
Sales tax exemption
10/10
Data center activity
5/10
Market
MISO
Queue (active)
0 MW
Agreement signed
0 MW
Planned plants (EIA)
0 MW
Top substation
500 kV
Substations 230 kV+
6
Operating plants
269 MW
Retired or retiring
26 MW
Industrial power, MN
9.8¢/kWh
Sales tax exemption
Yes

Substations, 115 kV and up

  • FORBES · 10 lines500 kV
  • ARROWHEAD · 12 lines345 kV
  • Unnamed · 7 lines230 kV
  • HILLTOP 230/115KV · 6 lines230 kV
  • SHANNON · 5 lines230 kV
  • Unnamed · 3 lines230 kV
  • SYL LASKIN · 5 lines138 kV
  • Unnamed · 3 lines138 kV

Planned, retiring and retired plants

  • Virginia · Gas, retired 202226 MW

Data centers, AI campuses and mining sites

  • Google Hermantown data center campus · AI campus, announced · MPR News
  • Ark Data Centers Duluth Technology Drive · GPU colocation, Duluth

Colocation from our GPU colocation list; mining sites from the miner AI conversion tracker.

6. Scott CountyMISO

Site score 60 of 100

Transmission
20/25
Generation pipeline
4/20
Industrial power price
16/20
Existing and retiring plants
9/15
Sales tax exemption
10/10
Data center activity
1/10
Market
MISO
Queue (active)
0 MW
Agreement signed
0 MW
Planned plants (EIA)
136 MW
Top substation
345 kV
Substations 230 kV+
4
Operating plants
442 MW
Retired or retiring
560 MW
Industrial power, MN
9.8¢/kWh
Sales tax exemption
Yes

Substations, 115 kV and up

  • BLUE LAKE · 7 lines345 kV
  • CHUB LAKE · 5 lines345 kV
  • HELENA · 5 lines345 kV
  • SCOTT CO · 5 lines345 kV
  • Unnamed · 3 lines115 kV

Planned, retiring and retired plants

  • Blue Lake · Gas, retiring 2029333 MW
  • Blue Lake · Gas, retired 2025227 MW
  • Blue Lake BESS · Storage, planned 2027136 MW

Data centers, AI campuses and mining sites

  • Centersquare MSP1 (Shakopee) · GPU colocation, Shakopee, 19.1 MW

Colocation from our GPU colocation list; mining sites from the miner AI conversion tracker.

Data center tax exemption in Minnesota

Minnesota qualified data center sales tax exemption (Minn. Stat. § 297A.68, subd. 42)

Enterprise IT equipment and software (including cooling, power distribution infrastructure, substations and backup power) for certified data centers of at least 25,000 sq ft are exempt by refund where investment is at least $30 million within 48 months (new), $50 million within 24 months (refurbished) or $250 million within 60 months (large-scale, added 2025); electricity purchases no longer qualify from July 1, 2025, the 2025 law lengthened the exemption period to 35 years, though the Department of Revenue’s refund guidance still says refunds run up to 20 years from the first qualifying purchase or to June 30, 2042, whichever is earlier.

Recent change: 2025 1st Special Session laws (ch. 12 and ch. 13) ended the electricity exemption from July 1, 2025, added a $250 million large-scale tier with prevailing wage and green building conditions, and lengthened the claim period from 20 to 35 years.

Source: Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes, accessed 2026-10-17. General information, not tax advice; ask your tax advisor.

AI data centers being built in Minnesota

CampusDeveloperCountyMWStatusSource
Google Hermantown data center campusGoogle (Mortenson development partner)St. Louis County-announcedMPR NewsJun 25, 2026
Meta Rosemount data center (UMore Park)MetaDakota County-under constructionEpoch AIJul 28, 2026
Project Skyway (Google Pine Island data center)Users: GoogleRyan Companies for GoogleGoodhue County-announcedBlandin on BroadbandJul 25, 2026

Busiest points of interconnection in Minnesota

#Point of interconnectionCountyISORequestsQueued MWMostly
1Cedar Mountain - Lyon County 345.0kVRedwood County, MNMISO51,326Storage

How the score works

Six parts out of 100: transmission (25), generation in the queue (20), the state's industrial power price (20), existing and retiring plants (15), sales tax exemption (10) and data center activity (10). The site finder's methodology prints each formula and every source with its date. Markets: MISO (Midwest and South), SPP (Plains).

All states

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Funding a data center or the GPUs going into one in Minnesota? Tell us about the site and the capital you need, and we will come back with the lenders and the structure that fit. Operators raising debt for a cluster can start at gpulenders.com.

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