Some of the data centers may never even materialize, sticking ratepayers with the bill for overbuilt fossil-fuel infrastructure, advocates argue.
An anticipated data-center boom is driving utility plans for massive natural gas investments in southeastern Wisconsin, raising objections from customer and climate advocates.
Critics say they’ve seen big development plans fail to pan out before, and they don’t want to be stuck paying for overbuilt fossil-fuel generation based on increasingly uncertain growth projections.
Wisconsin Electric Power Co. (WEPCO) says it needs to build new gas generation to power a planned $3.3 billion Microsoft data center near Mount Pleasant. The project is on the site of the failed Foxconn LCD screen factory, a proposed megaproject that President Donald Trump promised during his first term would become ?“the eighth wonder of the world” but that never materialized as planned...
Critics say they’ve seen big development plans fail to pan out before, and they don’t want to be stuck paying for overbuilt fossil-fuel generation based on increasingly uncertain growth projections.
Wisconsin Electric Power Co. (WEPCO) says it needs to build new gas generation to power a planned $3.3 billion Microsoft data center near Mount Pleasant. The project is on the site of the failed Foxconn LCD screen factory, a proposed megaproject that President Donald Trump promised during his first term would become ?“the eighth wonder of the world” but that never materialized as planned...
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RSK: SOrt of a catch 22 here. Data Centers use huge amounts of power. WHat you do not want is surges in the power stream which could ruin the lines and basically fry the grid. SO, you over power for the demands. Wind and solar are not reliable enough in my mind. The other problem is data centers are mostly automated.....few new jobs are created.
Ken Notes: 4 words, "pay as you go"...
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- - Volume: 25 - WEEK: 16 Date: 4/15/2025 12:21:56 PM -