ABB’s HiPerGuard Medium-Voltage UPS Wins 2025 Data Center Power Innovation Award

Why It Matters

HiPerGuard’s efficiency and centralized architecture lower total cost of ownership while enabling data centers to scale megawatt‑by‑megawatt and participate in grid services, a critical advantage as AI workloads drive unprecedented power demand.

Key Takeaways

• HiPerGuard delivers 98% efficiency up to 24 kV.
• Medium‑voltage UPS consolidates power protection, cutting equipment count.
• Enables AI data centers to scale in 25 MW increments.
• Modular design tolerates loss of three converters without downtime.
• Supports grid services by injecting or absorbing power on demand.

Pulse Analysis

The rapid expansion of hyperscale and AI‑driven data centers is reshaping the power‑delivery landscape. Operators now face megawatt‑scale loads, higher power density, and tighter uptime requirements, prompting a shift away from traditional low‑voltage UPS farms. ABB’s HiPerGuard medium‑voltage UPS, recognized with the 2025 Power Technology Excellence Award, positions the company at the forefront of this transition. By moving protection to the 5‑24 kV range, the system aligns with the emerging “AI factory” model that demands both resilience and grid‑aware operation.

HiPerGuard’s hybrid passive‑active architecture relies on a ZISC (Impedance Isolated Static Converter) that isolates grid disturbances while allowing the bulk of power to flow through a passive line reactor. This design yields 98 % efficiency across the full voltage range and limits conversion losses to only the periods of fault or outage. Over a 15‑year lifecycle the solution can cut emissions by roughly 1,360 tons compared with rotary UPS units. Its modular converter blocks tolerate the loss of up to three modules, preserving continuous service without a manual switchover.

The economic upside is equally compelling. Consolidating protection into a single medium‑voltage UPS reduces the number of low‑voltage UPSs, transformers, and cabling, translating into lower capital expenditure, smaller floor space and simplified maintenance. Facilities such as Applied Digital’s 400 MW AI campus in North Dakota already use HiPerGuard to expand in 25 MW increments while keeping a uniform protection scheme. Moreover, the ability to inject or absorb power gives large data centers a new revenue stream through grid‑stability services, reinforcing ABB’s strategic foothold in both data‑center and utility markets.