Pins matching tag:WI

Residents in Fredonia and Saukville formed a joint coalition to challenge new power-line routes serving the Vantage Data Center planned for Port Washington. The 'Responsible Energy Alliance' (~500 members) and the 'Protect Fredonia Coalition' (chaired by Pastor Patti Plough) are pushing back against against American Transmission Company's proposed routes of 96-123 miles of new transmission lines and up to 5 new substations. ATC submitted its application to the Wisconsin Public Service Commission. The PSC will decide on routes in spring 2026. The project involves the Vantage Data Centers proposal, 1300 MW capacity, $15B investment, 672 acres. Vantage press release confirmed 'OpenAI, Oracle and Vantage' for the Stargate WI site — Oracle is a co-tenant alongside OpenAI.

Two Wisconsin PSC dockets address data center rate structures. Docket 6630-TE-113: We Energies proposed a 'Very Large Customer' rate class for customers with electricity demands above 500 MW (targeting hyperscale data centers like Microsoft in Mount Pleasant). Over 200 people joined virtual hearings on Feb 10-11, 2026, with ~85% of speakers voicing concerns about the proposal, urging that tech companies pay their full share of infrastructure costs. Critics argue the proposal would only require data centers to pay 75% of infrastructure costs, leaving 25% subsidized by the public. Docket 6680-TE-115: Alliant Energy's Individual Contract Rate Agreement to serve a data center campus in Beaver Dam (widely assumed to be Meta). The PSC required Alliant to refile the contract with fewer redactions after advocates raised transparency concerns. A coalition of 42 environmental justice, faith, conservation, and community organizations submitted formal comments voicing concerns about the proposals. VERIFIED 2026-05-26: On April 24, 2026 the Wisconsin PSC adopted a "full-benefits" model requiring data centers to pay 100% of their costs, extended the minimum term to 15 years, and lowered the threshold from 500 MW to 100 MW (removing the 75% capacity-only option) — a ratepayer-protection win.

Wisconsin SB 1061 would have imposed a moratorium on new data center construction until the state established a data center planning authority, prohibited cost-shifting to residents, eliminated subsidies, mandated public reporting, required 100% renewable energy, restored PSC planning authority, prohibited NDAs, and created enforcement structures. Introduced Feb 26, 2026 by Sens. Larson and Carpenter with cosponsors Madison, Hong, Moore Omokunde, Clancy, Cruz, and Tenorio. Companion AB 1099 is in the Assembly Energy and Utilities Committee. SB 1061 failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1 on March 23, 2026.