April 13, 2026
From ballot box to court: The first data center referendum in the U.S. was approved by voters in Port Washington, making large-scale developments more difficult. Now, the city faces a legal battle over the approval.
Second poll: Costs outweigh benefits: Recent polls indicate that 70% of Wisconsin voters believe the costs of data centers are higher than the benefits, reflecting a consistent sentiment across different surveys.
Add-on data center approved: Beaver Dam has greenlit a new $40 million data center alongside the existing $1 billion data center under construction.
Data center opponent elected: Menomonie City Council member Matthew Crowe, a vocal opponent of a proposed data center, won the mayoral election. Transparency concerns over the data center proposal played a significant role in his victory.
ICYMI: Recent coverage has focused on data center secrecy deals, including discussions on various media platforms. Wisconsin companies are part of a coalition urging a federal agency to pause competitive bidding for electrical transmission projects needed for data centers.
April 6, 2026
Cure for blight? A unique $8 billion data center project in Janesville includes a $30 million cleanup of a contaminated site. Concerns over cleanup costs have deterred other potential developments.
Referendum on Tuesday’s ballot: A referendum in Port Washington could impact future large-scale developments, requiring approval for business districts worth over $10 million.
Limiting public comment: Beaver Dam City Council imposed a 20-minute limit on public comments, drawing criticism from data center opponents for restricting input on important decisions.
Legislative intent/inaction on NDAs: Proposed legislation to prevent local governments from signing NDAs with data center developers did not progress, leaving the issue unresolved at the end of the legislative session.
March 30
Town chair calls cops on petitioner: A resident in Grant County collecting signatures for a petition related to potential data centers faced interference, highlighting tensions and public engagement challenges in communities under consideration for data center projects.
Rock County also signed NDA: Despite concerns over lack of transparency, Rock County signed an NDA with a company involved in a data center proposal, adding to the debate on secrecy and public trust.
Alliant Energy’s record stock price: Alliant Energy’s stock hit a record high due to increased data center investments in the Midwest, reflecting the economic impact of data center developments.
AI fear fuels opposition? There is speculation that concerns about data centers may be linked to broader fears about the rapid development of artificial intelligence technology, as reflected in survey results regarding AI and data center costs.
ICYMI: Recent coverage explored competition in grid development to meet data center power demands.
