Wisconsin: data centers & your electric bill
As of October 2, 2026, AI GridWatch tracks 35 data center moratoriums or pushback actions in Wisconsin: 32 in force, 3 proposed. The state has 52 tracked data center facilities using an estimated 0.9 TWh of electricity a year.
Everything GridWatch tracks in Wisconsin on one page — proposed projects, moratoriums, permits, officials, and the 2026 ballot.
Subscribe by RSS — moratorium changes and community headlines for Wisconsin.
As of July 2026 (3m ago) · changes over months · Source: U.S. Data Center Power Map by State — ElectricChoice.com compilation (updated July 2026; CC-BY 4.0). Underlying load research: LBNL 2024 US Data Center Energy Usage Report; rates: EIA
Facility counts vary by directory because each one draws the boundary differently — DataCenterMap lists 44 in Alabama where this table says 35, since it counts small network rooms alongside hyperscale campuses. Cite the TWh figure rather than the facility count when you can; it is the number that speaks to grid impact. Underlying load research is LBNL-2001637 (Dec 2024).
1Proposed data centers in Wisconsin (5)
1 still live · 4 decided or withdrawn. Each name links to the full dossier — ownership, intelligence log, and where to read the paper trail.
| Project | Where | Size | Behind it | Stage | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| QTS Dane County | Dane County | 750 MW | QTS Data Centers | In review | Source |
| Meta Beaver Dam | Beaver Dam | — | Meta | Under construction | Source |
| OpenAI Stargate Wisconsin | Port Washington | — | Oracle | Under construction | Source read 2026-08-14 |
| Microsoft Fairwater Wisconsin | Mount Pleasant | 369 MW | Microsoft | Source read 2026-08-14 | |
| Project Nova (Microsoft Caledonia) | Caledonia (Racine County) | 244 ac | Microsoft | Withdrawn | Source read 2026-08-23 |
2Pushback already happening in Wisconsin
| Where | Level | Status | Note | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sauk County | County | Enactedfixed term, end date not recorded | Ordinance 07-2026-0 amends the county zoning code to enact an 18-month moratorium on receipt of applications and the granting of all zoning permits or approvals for siting or placement of data centers. Effective on publication; runs 18 months from publication or until the board amends or rescinds it, whichever comes first. Publication date not recorded, so no end date is stored | SourceNews read 2026-09-20 |
| Sawyer County | County | Enactedfixed term, end date not recorded | County board adopted an 18-month temporary moratorium on development of large data centers and associated infrastructure, to give staff time to draft setback, permitting and performance standards. Zoning committee had recommended it 5-0 on Jul 15. Source is meeting coverage, not the county's own ordinance; end date is not stated in it | SourceNews read 2026-09-20 |
| Milwaukee | Local | Proposedno fixed end — runs until a condition is met | Proposed ordinance would bar city departments from accepting or processing applications to construct, enlarge, expand, convert or occupy data centers, for one year after passage or until the zoning code is amended to regulate them, whichever comes first. Zoning Code Technical Committee endorsed it Aug 10; City Plan Commission hearing set for Sep 28, 2026. Common Council approval still required — not yet adopted | SourceNews read 2026-09-20 |
| Manitowoc County | Local | Enactedexpires 2027-10-29 | 18-month pause, unanimous; covers facilities with more than 1 PB of storage. Requested by three towns (Two Creeks, Two Rivers, Mishicot) after land-purchase approaches to farmers | SourceNews read 2026-08-13 |
| La Crosse County | Local | Enactedexpires 2027-12-18 | 18-month pause in unincorporated areas; county stood up an ad hoc committee to study data centers, and the city of La Crosse is taking part in that work while drafting its own rules | SourceNews read 2026-08-04 |
| La Crosse | Local | Enactedexpires 2028-02-14 | 18-month moratorium approved by Common Council, matching the county's Jun 18 moratorium. Covers facilities >1 PB or >2 MW. Plan commission advanced it Aug 3 | SourceNews read 2026-08-15 |
| Dodge County | Local | Enactedexpires 2028-02-10 | 18-month moratorium on data-center development in county-zoned unincorporated areas, approved 29-2 by the Board of Supervisors after a public hearing. Initiated by Supervisor Cathy Houchin following constituent concerns about a Beaver Dam-area data center's impact on water. | SourceNews read 2026-08-12 |
| Madison | Local | Enactedexpires 2027-01-13 | Up to 1-year moratorium on zoning for data centers >10,000 sq ft, unanimous. Evaluating electricity, water, land use, and community benefit impacts | SourceNews read 2026-08-13 |
| Town of Cassville | Local | Enactedfixed term, end date not recorded | 2-year moratorium, unanimous. 36 sq mi in Grant County. Residents mobilized against a \$1B proposed project | SourceNews read 2026-08-13 |
| Dane County | Local | Enactedexpires 2027-12-04 | 18-month moratorium on hyperscale data centers in county zoning areas. Advisory committee to study benefits and pitfalls | SourceNews read 2026-08-13 |
| Village of Wrightstown | Local | Enactedexpires 2027-06-16 | 1-year moratorium, unanimous. Cloverleaf Infrastructure proposed ~1 GW AI data center in region. Aug 2026 advisory referendum: 87%% voted village should NOT authorize public improvements for large data centers | SourceNews read 2026-08-13 |
| Superior | Local | Enactedexpires 2027-06-17 | 1-year moratorium, unanimous. City lacks zoning definitions for data center sizes. Planning commission reviewing zoning and infrastructure recommendations | SourceNews read 2026-08-13 |
| Wisconsin | State | Proposedterm not documented | SB 1061 — would halt operations at existing data centers until legislature enacts protections. Would ban shifting energy/water costs onto residential customers. Not yet voted on | SourceOfficial read 2026-08-13 |
| Bellevue | Local | Enactedexpires 2027-08-12 | 12-month ban on data center development, 5-0. Board may extend it a further six months | SourceNews read 2026-08-23 |
| Chippewa County | Local | Enactedfixed term, end date not recorded | 12-month moratorium, 19-0, first and second readings the same night (extended from the 10 months committee proposed). Applies only to the six towns under county zoning — Anson, Eagle Point, Hallie, Lafayette, Wheaton, Woodmohr. Coverage puts the effective date in September without naming it, so the end date is not derivable | SourceNews read 2026-08-23 |
| Janesville | Local | Enactedexpires 2027-09-28 | City council voted unanimously for a 12-month moratorium barring the city from accepting, processing, reviewing or approving data center applications (rezoning, permits, annexation). The end date is counted from the vote; the ordinance takes effect on publication, so the true end may fall a few days later. Separate from the Town of Janesville | SourceNews read 2026-09-29 |
| St. Croix County | Local | Enactedexpires 2027-09-01 | 1-year moratorium on medium- and large-scale data centers, 18-0, in unincorporated areas under county zoning -- does not apply to the towns of Forest, Hudson, St. Joseph, or Troy, which zone themselves | SourceNews read 2026-09-02 |
| Door County | County | Enactedexpires 2027-05-26 | 1-year moratorium on data centers and battery energy storage in unincorporated areas; board retains option to extend | SourceNews read 2026-09-06 |
| Marathon County | County | Enactedterm not documented | Marathon County Board adopted 12-month moratorium in late August 2026. Applies to 18 townships under county jurisdiction. Does not apply to existing data centers or facilities under 5,000 sq ft. Blocks new conditional use permits, zoning changes, and zoning permits. | SourceNews read 2026-09-06 |
| Middleton | Local | Enactedterm not documented | City of Middleton Common Council adopted data center moratorium as of Jul 1, 2026. Pauses issuance of zoning certificates for data centers. Planning department directed to draft comprehensive data center ordinance. | SourceNews read 2026-09-06 |
| Winnebago County | County | Enactedterm not documented | County Board passed 12-month moratorium in voice vote at Aug 18, 2026 meeting. Applies to townships of Algoma, Neenah, Nekimi, and Omro. Cities must adopt own regulations. Preemptive — no known data center proposals in county. | SourceNews read 2026-09-06 |
| Green County | County | Enactedterm not documented | Board voted 30-1 to approve 12-month moratorium. No data center proposals had been received. Chairman Jerry Guth said moratorium would allow time to review and update antiquated zoning codes. Part of broader Wisconsin trend (~24 communities with moratoriums). | SourceNews read 2026-09-06 |
| Polk County | County | Proposedterm not documented | ESC approved resolution 29-26 on July 15 and sent to full county board for July 21 meeting. Residents providing public comment unanimously opposed data centers. Applies to 16 named towns. Final board vote outcome not confirmed in available sources. | SourceNews read 2026-09-06 |
| Sheboygan | Local | Enactedexpires 2027-07-23 | 12-month moratorium on data centers over 10,000 sq ft; unanimously approved. No existing zoning codes for data centers. | SourceNews read 2026-09-11 |
| Shawano County | County | Enactedexpires 2027-06-24 | 12-month moratorium on data centers in unincorporated towns under county zoning; does not affect cities, villages, or self-zoning towns. | SourceNews read 2026-09-11 |
| Ashwaubenon | Local | Enactedexpires 2027-06-02 | 12-month moratorium on hyperscale data centers (>100,000 sq ft and >20 MW); Plan Commission voted 7-0. | SourceNews read 2026-09-11 |
| Monroe County | County | Enactedexpires 2028-01-21 | 18-month moratorium on medium/large data centers and all battery storage; passed 10-3. Small-scale DCs (<500 kW, no crypto) exempt. Environmental concerns include trout streams in driftless area. | SourceNews read 2026-09-11 |
| Grant County | County | Enactedexpires 2027-06-18 | Board of Supervisors voted 15-0 for 12-month moratorium on hyperscale data center zoning permits in unincorporated areas. Related to collapsed $1B data center proposal. | SourceNews read 2026-09-11 |
| Oneida County | County | Enactedexpires 2027-08-19 | 1-year moratorium on data centers; unanimous vote; preemptive action with no known proposals. Excludes un-zoned areas of Sugar Camp, Monico, Enterprise, and City of Rhinelander. | SourceNews read 2026-09-11 |
| Village of Greenville | Local | Enactedexpires 2027-06-08 | 1-year moratorium on data centers >= 10,000 sq ft; unanimous vote; preemptive, citing water supply concerns. Outagamie County. | SourceNews read 2026-09-11 |
| Village of Cottage Grove | Local | Enactedexpires 2028-01-20 | 18-month moratorium on new data center development. Dane County, part of broader county task force studying data center impacts. | SourceNews read 2026-09-11 |
| Town of Westport | Local | Enactedexpires 2027-04-06 | 1-year moratorium restricting new data centers and telecom centers to max 10,000 sq ft; voted 4-1. Catalyst was QTS Data Centers proposal in nearby DeForest. Dane County. | SourceNews read 2026-09-11 |
| Town of Hampden | Local | Enactedterm not documented | Data center temporary moratorium (Chapter 18 ordinance). Columbia County. | SourceOfficial read 2026-09-11 |
| Town of Beetown | Local | Enactedterm not documented | Interim zoning ordinance blocking large data centers. Grant County; related to collapsed $1B data center proposal. | SourceRoundup read 2026-09-11 |
| Town of Bloomington | Local | Enactedterm not documented | Interim zoning ordinance with 2-year moratorium on certain development including data centers. Grant County. | SourceRoundup read 2026-09-11 |
As of August 2026 (2m ago) · changes weekly — re-check before citing
Illustrative rather than exhaustive — dozens of localities churn weekly, and this tracks the ones we have read a source for. **Each row carries its own provenance.** Rows showing a verification date link to the ordinance, the enacting body's own page, or a datable report of the vote, and were read on that date. Rows marked *unverified* came from bulk compilation and have not been checked against a primary source — the locality, the year, and the status may all be off. Verify one of those with the town clerk before citing it as precedent. **Expiry is derived, not asserted.** A row with a documented end date flips to *Expired* on its own once that date passes. A time-limited moratorium whose start date was never documented keeps showing as enacted — that is a known gap, not a claim that it is still in force. Moratoriums are also routinely extended, so an expiry date is the earliest it could have ended, not proof that it did.
3Other Wisconsin communities in the news (5)
Places with archived data-center coverage but no moratorium on file. Grouped automatically from headlines and not verified — a lead worth reading, not a claim to cite.
- Mount Pleasant — 27 archived headlines
- Wisconsin Rapids — 16 archived headlines
- Sturtevant — 10 archived headlines
- Port Washington — 7 archived headlines
- Wrightstown — 4 archived headlines
4Known data center campuses in Wisconsin
| Operator | Location | Tenant | Filing LLC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meta | Beaver Dam | Meta | Codename shells: Greater Kudu, Raven Northbrook, Stadion, Wobniar, Pinnacle Mountain |
| Microsoft | Mount Pleasant (Racine Co.) | Microsoft | Project-name / generic 'Holdings LLC'; less consistently codenamed |
⏳ No verification date recorded · changes over months · Source: Operator ownership & filing-LLC naming patterns — compiled from operator releases and county filings, then checked against SEC EDGAR full-text search. Composite, not a single citation: look the entity up yourself before naming it in a filing
Each row carries its own attribution level — first-party rows come from the operator's own site, but colocation and REIT ownership was compiled from trade press and never passed an independent fact-check. Check the attribution column before citing a row.
5Every data center already built in Wisconsin
The campuses above are the ones GridWatch tracks by operator and filing LLC. For the full inventory — street addresses of every existing facility, including the smaller colocation and network sites — DataCenterMap keeps a public directory for Wisconsin.
Browse the Wisconsin directory →
Two caveats before you cite it at a hearing: it lists facilities that already exist, so a newly proposed campus will not appear; and it counts a small network room the same as a hyperscale campus, so the facility count is not a measure of power draw or community impact.
6Your regulator
Public Service Commission of Wisconsin — website · file a complaint
Official state energy data: EIA Wisconsin electricity profile — generation, prices, and consumption from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
7Where the Wisconsin paper trail lives
Air & environmental permits: Wisconsin DNR — Air Management
No searchable register. Wisconsin does not publish a permit database you can query. A public-records request to the agency is the only route to the file.
Grid interconnection queue: MISO (Midwest & Gulf)
A routing hint only — several states are split between markets, and the serving utility is the only authority on which queue a given site is in.
These are places to look, not evidence that anything has been filed. Links were checked on 2026-08-21; search links are queries, not records.
8Port Washington — Common Council
Meets: 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month · City Hall, 100 W. Grand Avenue, Port Washington, WI 53074
Public comment: Council meetings include a public comment period. Meeting location has moved for high-attendance data-center items — check the calendar listing before you go.
Source: https://www.portwashingtonwi.gov/our-city/mayor-common-counc · as of 2026-07-26
9Wrightstown — Village Board
Meets: 1st and 3rd Tuesday, 6:00 p.m. · 352 High Street, Wrightstown, WI 54180
Public comment: See the village's published agendas for the public-comment process for a specific meeting.
Source: https://www.wrightstown.us/agendas/ · as of 2026-08-12
10Sturtevant — Village Board
Meets: 1st and 3rd Tuesday, 6:00 p.m. · Village Hall, Sturtevant, WI
Public comment: See the village's published agendas for the public-comment process for a specific meeting.
Source: https://www.sturtevant-wi.gov/villageboard · as of 2026-08-12
11Wisconsin Rapids — Common Council
Meets: See the city's Agenda Center for the current schedule. · City Hall Council Chambers, 444 West Grand Avenue, Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54494
Public comment: See the council's published agenda for the public-comment process for a specific meeting.
Source: https://www.wirapids.gov/161/Common-Council · as of 2026-08-12
12Dodge County — Board of Supervisors
Meets: 3rd Tuesday of most months, 6:00 p.m. (Apr and Nov: 9:00 a.m.) · County Board Room, 4th floor, Dodge County Administration Building, 127 E. Oak Street, Juneau, WI 53039
Public comment: Public hearings held per Wisconsin open-meetings rules. Contact the County Clerk for details.
Source: https://www.co.dodge.wi.gov/government/county-board · as of 2026-08-12
13Your federal delegation and governor
Grades cross party — this is an issue axis, not a partisan one. A blank grade means no documented action was located, never that the official is neutral.
| Grade | Official | Documented action (sourced) | Reach them |
|---|---|---|---|
| D | Tony Evers Democratic · Governor | Courted Microsoft's $7B+ Mount Pleasant campus and signed pro-data-center incentive legislation. — Gov. Evers announces Microsoft $4B Wisconsin data center (2025) | site · contact |
| — | Ron Johnson Republican · Senator · next on the ballot 2028 | No documented action on data centers located Mixed Called data centers' impact on Wisconsin's electric grid a 'very serious concern' and questioned whether local officials had factored it in properly. sources | site · contact |
| — | Tammy Baldwin Democratic · Senator · next on the ballot 2030 | No documented action on data centers located Guardrails Says data-center developers must commit to local communities that residents will not shoulder the energy and water costs, and that any moratorium is for the state Legislature to consider. sources | site · contact |
| — | Bryan Steil Republican · Representative 1 | No documented action on data centers located | site · contact |
| — | Mark Pocan Democratic · Representative 2 | No documented action on data centers located | site · contact |
| — | Derrick Van Orden Republican · Representative 3 | No documented action on data centers located | site · contact |
| — | Gwen Moore Democratic · Representative 4 | No documented action on data centers located | site · contact |
| — | Scott Fitzgerald Republican · Representative 5 | No documented action on data centers located | site · contact |
| — | Glenn Grothman Republican · Representative 6 | No documented action on data centers located | site · contact |
| — | Thomas P. Tiffany Republican · Representative 7 | No documented action on data centers located | site · contact |
| — | Tony Wied Republican · Representative 8 | No documented action on data centers located | site · contact |
Roster: regenerated by scripts/refresh_officials.py (Senate XML + congress-legislators + current governors).
Write to your senators → Your senators in detail → Full officials scorecard → Find your state legislators →
142026 U.S. Senate
Neither Wisconsin Senate seat is on the 2026 ballot. Your senators are still the people who vote on federal siting and tax policy — their records are in the delegation table above.
152026 U.S. House races in Wisconsin (8)
A documented data-center record exists in 7 of 8 districts. A candidate with no badge colour has said nothing we could locate — that is a gap in the record, not a neutral position. ★ marks an incumbent.
| District | PVI | Incumbent | Candidates |
|---|---|---|---|
| WI-1 | R+2 | Bryan Steil | Bryan Steil ★ Mitchell Berman |
| WI-2 | D+21 | Mark Pocan | Mark Pocan ★ |
| WI-3 | R+3 | Derrick Van Orden | Derrick Van Orden ★ Rebecca Cooke Alexander Kent Rustin Provance |
| WI-4 | D+26 | Gwen Moore | Gwen Moore ★ Tim Rogers Arthur Burks Robert Raymond |
| WI-5 | R+11 | Scott Fitzgerald | Scott Fitzgerald ★ Andrew Beck |
| WI-6 | R+8 | Glenn Grothman | Glenn Grothman ★ Brad Smith Elizabeth Fitzgibbon Matthew Arndt Michael Thurow |
| WI-7 | R+11 | Tom Tiffany | Fred Clark Michael Alfonso |
| WI-8 | R+8 | Tony Wied | Tony Wied ★ Rick Crosson |
The documented records (7 districts)
WI-1
Bryan Steil (Republican) · incumbent Consensus vote only
On the record only for voting yes on H.R. 9340, the Ratepayer Protection Act (417-3). No other data-center record located yet.
- Voted yes on H.R. 9340, the Ratepayer Protection Act, which passed 417-3 (roll call 312). It directs state utility commissions to consider rate designs making data centers with 100 MW or more of peak demand at one site pay the full incremental cost of the generation and grid upgrades they require. A near-unanimous vote: shown on the record, not scored on its own. (2026-09-16 — source)
Record read 2026-09-22.
WI-2
Mark Pocan (Democratic) · incumbent Guardrails
Called for Congress to regulate AI and data centers; said Congress is 'not even crawling' on proper regulation.
- Told Wisconsin Watch that Congress needs 'proper regulation that's good on all fronts related to AI' and that he feels Congress is 'not even crawling at this point.' His district includes 11 Madison-based data centers. (2025-12 — source)
- Voted yes on H.R. 9340, the Ratepayer Protection Act, which passed 417-3 (roll call 312). It directs state utility commissions to consider rate designs making data centers with 100 MW or more of peak demand at one site pay the full incremental cost of the generation and grid upgrades they require. A near-unanimous vote: shown on the record, not scored on its own. (2026-09-16 — source)
Record read 2026-09-11.
WI-3
Derrick Van Orden (Republican) · incumbent Mixed
Said Wisconsinites should not subsidize data center power or water, but voted for OBBBA which included federal preemption of state/local AI data center regulations.
- Said 'The average Wisconsinite should not have to subsidize the power or water for a commercial entity' and suggested data centers should either help pay for rising utility rates or 'self-power.' (2025-12 — source)
- Voted yes on H.R. 9340, the Ratepayer Protection Act, which passed 417-3 (roll call 312). It directs state utility commissions to consider rate designs making data centers with 100 MW or more of peak demand at one site pay the full incremental cost of the generation and grid upgrades they require. A near-unanimous vote: shown on the record, not scored on its own. (2026-09-16 — source)
Record read 2026-09-11.
WI-4
Gwen Moore (Democratic) · incumbent Consensus vote only
On the record only for voting yes on H.R. 9340, the Ratepayer Protection Act (417-3). No other data-center record located yet.
- Voted yes on H.R. 9340, the Ratepayer Protection Act, which passed 417-3 (roll call 312). It directs state utility commissions to consider rate designs making data centers with 100 MW or more of peak demand at one site pay the full incremental cost of the generation and grid upgrades they require. A near-unanimous vote: shown on the record, not scored on its own. (2026-09-16 — source)
Record read 2026-09-22.
WI-5
Scott Fitzgerald (Republican) · incumbent Consensus vote only
On the record only for voting yes on H.R. 9340, the Ratepayer Protection Act (417-3). No other data-center record located yet.
- Voted yes on H.R. 9340, the Ratepayer Protection Act, which passed 417-3 (roll call 312). It directs state utility commissions to consider rate designs making data centers with 100 MW or more of peak demand at one site pay the full incremental cost of the generation and grid upgrades they require. A near-unanimous vote: shown on the record, not scored on its own. (2026-09-16 — source)
Record read 2026-09-22.
WI-6
Glenn Grothman (Republican) · incumbent Consensus vote only
On the record only for voting yes on H.R. 9340, the Ratepayer Protection Act (417-3). No other data-center record located yet.
- Voted yes on H.R. 9340, the Ratepayer Protection Act, which passed 417-3 (roll call 312). It directs state utility commissions to consider rate designs making data centers with 100 MW or more of peak demand at one site pay the full incremental cost of the generation and grid upgrades they require. A near-unanimous vote: shown on the record, not scored on its own. (2026-09-16 — source)
Record read 2026-09-22.
WI-8
Tony Wied (Republican) · incumbent Consensus vote only
On the record only for voting yes on H.R. 9340, the Ratepayer Protection Act (417-3). No other data-center record located yet.
- Voted yes on H.R. 9340, the Ratepayer Protection Act, which passed 417-3 (roll call 312). It directs state utility commissions to consider rate designs making data centers with 100 MW or more of peak demand at one site pay the full incremental cost of the generation and grid upgrades they require. A near-unanimous vote: shown on the record, not scored on its own. (2026-09-16 — source)
Record read 2026-09-22.
16Latest Wisconsin data center news
A data center was proposed near you?
The free toolkit walks you through it in five steps: who's really behind the LLC, what it costs your community, what to do this week, and a downloadable action pack — speech, letters, flyer, and CBA targets included.
State municipal league: League of Wisconsin Municipalities