Data centers in Wisconsin: 17 projects mapped

Imagery: Esri, Maxar

Three big campuses are going up in Wisconsin: Microsoft's $20 billion complex at Mount Pleasant in Racine County, which began opening this summer; Lighthouse, the $15 billion Vantage, Oracle and OpenAI campus at Port Washington in Ozaukee County; and Meta's $1 billion data center at Beaver Dam in Dodge County. A draft state report says the three account for nearly three-quarters of an expected 40% rise in Wisconsin's peak electricity demand by 2032.

In Port Washington, developers spent at least $125 million on 1,500 acres or more, often paying far above assessed value. "On paper it looked OK, until you go to replace what you had," said Ryan Nowak, who sold 65 acres and now lives on 1.5. In August state regulators sent American Transmission Company back to the start of its application for the more than $1.3 billion in lines and substations needed to power the campus; ATC has not said when it will refile.

At least 24 Wisconsin communities have adopted moratoriums, usually for a year, among them Madison, Superior, Middleton and Dane, Door, Grant, Manitowoc, Dodge and Jefferson counties. In Grant County, where developers proposed a $1 billion-plus data center, the town of Cassville rejected the zoning it needed. In Menomonie, a stalled plan by Balloonist LLC on more than 300 acres is on hold while the city writes rules. The Public Service Commission still has to rule on the data center power rates proposed by Alliant Energy for Beaver Dam and We Energies for Mount Pleasant and Port Washington.

Every project above is drawn from public records, filings and local reporting. Each row links to what it is based on. Statuses change, so check the source date before you rely on one. Found something wrong? Write to [email protected] and it gets fixed.