DENVER, Dec. 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Crusoe, the industry’s first vertically-integrated AI infrastructure provider, today announced that its Abilene AI Data Center – built to support Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) – has been named North American Data Center Project of the Year at the 2025 Data Center Dynamics (DCD) Global Awards. The award honors the facility’s role in defining a new standard for AI infrastructure, combining rapid modular delivery with high-performance liquid cooling at a 1.2 gigawatt (GW) scale.
The DCD Awards are widely considered the "Oscars" of the data center industry, celebrating teams that push the boundaries of design and operations. The judges selected Crusoe’s 1.2 GW Abilene data center for overcoming the unique challenges of the AI era: the need for "ludicrous speed" in deployment without sacrificing sustainability or density.
Defining the AI Infrastructure Era
The Abilene project was designed from the ground up to support the thermal and power demands of next-generation AI compute. Key innovations recognized by the DCD judges include:
- High Density: The facility utilizes direct-to-chip liquid cooling to manage high-density racks, ensuring maximum performance for AI workloads while maintaining energy efficiency.
- Scale: The site is designed for a total capacity of 1.2 GW capacity, with the initial phase already live and hosting OCI.
- Sustainable Design: An energy-first model to support the grid while powering the future of compute.
“We are proud to be recognized by Data Center Dynamics for our Abilene AI data center, a project that is purpose-built to manufacture the next great leaps in intelligence,” said Chris Dolan, Chief Data Center Officer of Crusoe. “This award validates Crusoe’s vertically integrated approach to building AI infrastructure and is a testament to the innovation of our incredible team and ecosystem of partners. Together, the project has established a new blueprint for how AI factories are delivered and energized at record speed.”
Vertical Integration Driving Velocity
A decisive factor in the project's success was Crusoe’s unique vertical integration model. Crusoe Industries, the company’s dedicated manufacturing division, played a critical role in meeting the aggressive 12-month delivery timeline for the first phase of construction. By manufacturing essential electrical equipment and switchgear in-house, Crusoe bypassed the supply chain bottlenecks and long lead times that currently plague the data center industry. This capability allowed the team to produce and deploy critical infrastructure faster than traditional third-party manufacturers, ensuring that equipment was on-site exactly when construction schedules demanded it.
Sharing this Victory With Key Partners
The rapid delivery of the Abilene site was also made possible through deep collaboration with industry-leading partners who shared Crusoe’s vision for speed and excellence:
- Oracle served as both the primary customer and strategic partner for the project, providing significant contributions throughout its development and leading the deployment of hardware and software within the data center.
- AlfaTech served as a critical partner in the project's engineering and design.
- DPR Construction served as the lead construction partner, executing the build with exceptional speed and coordination.
- HKS led the master planning and architecture for the campus.
- Lancium developed the original power and land infrastructure at the Abilene Clean Campus, which provided the foundation for this record-breaking deployment.
- The following organizations also drove the project’s success, including:
- Design Team: KH, HKS, GPLA, BW Design Group, MPS, Cupertino Electric, Maverick, Sabre
- MultiPrimes: DPR, Rosendin, Southland
- Key Trades Partners & Prefab: Wagner, WW Afco, DPR Self Perform Groups, Digital Building Components, EIG and partners (JLA, E2 Optics, Walker Electric), Western States, Vanguard, Flynn, North Texas Fire Protection, Cherry Coatings, Goins Crane Services, Instor/Accelevation and Crusoe Industries.
Driving Economic Impact in Abilene
With more than 7,000 construction workers currently on-site daily, the project is a driver of employment and commerce. The Development Corporation of Abilene (DCOA) estimates the project’s first phase alone will generate $1 billion in economic impact over the next 20 years – a figure expected to scale significantly as the campus expands to eight buildings. At full operation, the facility is projected to contribute up to 32% of the City of Abilene’s and 25% of Taylor County’s total budgeted property tax revenue, providing critical funding for local infrastructure and public services.
“This award confirms what we already know: Abilene is the perfect home for the next generation of technology," said Abilene Mayor Weldon Hurt. “The AI data center proves our city can support large-scale innovation. We are proud to see this project recognized globally, as it establishes Abilene as a leader in AI and brings new opportunities to our community.”
Congratulating atNorth
Crusoe also extends its congratulations to its partner atNorth, which also took home the Environmental Impact Award for their ICE03 expansion at the awards. Crusoe is proud to operate Crusoe Cloud instances within atNorth’s facilities, leveraging atNorth's infrastructure powered by hydroelectric and geothermal power to deliver Crusoe’s high-performance cloud computing to customers. This dual recognition at the DCD Awards underscores the shared commitment between the organizations to innovation, and responsible AI infrastructure.
About the DCD Awards
The DCD Global Awards recognize the most outstanding projects, people, and teams in the data center industry. Entrants are judged by an independent panel of industry experts on their innovation, scalability, and impact on the sector.
About Crusoe
As the AI factory company, Crusoe is on a mission to accelerate the abundance of energy and intelligence. The company provides a reliable, scalable, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly solution for AI infrastructure. By harnessing large-scale clean energy, building AI-optimized data centers, and delivering an AI cloud platform, Crusoe empowers its customers to build the future faster.
Trademarks
Oracle, Java, MySQL, and NetSuite are registered trademarks of Oracle Corporation. NetSuite was the first cloud company—ushering in the new era of cloud computing.
Media Contact
Stephanie Schlegel
Offleash for Crusoe
Crusoe@offleashpr.com
