Energy

The state Assembly passed a package of nuclear energy incentives Thursday, with backers promising a “nuclear renaissance” in Wisconsin amid a data center building boom.

Spiking energy demand driven by data center development could lead to between $113 billion and $130 billion in total electricity system costs for Wisconsin by 2050, while increasing the state’s reliance on fossil fuels.

A GOP proposal to establish certain reporting, water recycling and utility rate requirements for data centers moved forward in the Wisconsin Assembly Tuesday.

Microsoft Corp. is proposing to build 15 more data centers in Mount Pleasant as part of two new  data center campuses with a total taxable value of more than $13 billion.

As energy-hungry data centers pop up all across Wisconsin and the nation, fusion startups, including one in partnership with UW-Madison, are working to bring a new energy source to market to meet the colossal need.

The Midwest electric grid operator selected a pair of out of state companies to build two major transmission line projects in Wisconsin.

Madison officials want to stop large data centers from being built in the city — at least temporarily. A proposed ordinance would halt data center construction for up to year.

The announcement comes after residents and a local business in Greenleaf raised concerns about the prospect of a data center in the community.

Wisconsin utilities are investing to meet demands of the AI data center boom. But utility customers and local communities could be left paying the bills if the AI industry goes bust, utility watchdog warns.

Anticipated spikes in demand for energy to supply Wisconsin’s data center building boom come on the heels of decades of declining power and water use, according to a new report.