Power Supply Chain and Demand in Wisconsin
MISO runs most of Wisconsin's grid. 4,928 MW of new generation is planned in Wisconsin, 1,188 MW of it under construction or built and awaiting operation, against 1,942 MW of planned retirements through 2030. 37 data centers are identified in the state. Residential electricity averaged 19.00¢/kWh in 2026 through July, +5.4% from a year earlier. Unemployment was 3.2% in August 2026, and construction employment is +26.1% against August 2019. The SAVRN trackers hold 49 local moratoria or restrictions for Wisconsin across all statuses (39 in force) and 11 named projects on the Delay Watchlist.
What the build-out changed in Wisconsin
Wisconsin is in the middle of the pack, with a few sharp signals worth watching. Construction employment is +26.1% against August 2019, 9th of 48 states where BLS publishes it. Planned generation equals 25% of the power plants Wisconsin runs today, one of the steepest build-outs in the country (12th). The data center industry now accounts for 2.1% of Wisconsin's economy, the 21st largest share of any state (the median state is 1.8%), counting the industry's in-state suppliers and payrolls. Pushback is organized: the SAVRN trackers hold 49 local moratoria or restrictions in Wisconsin, 6th in the country. Factory employment is the exception: manufacturing jobs are -5.2% against August 2019.
Then and now
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction jobs (Aug 2019 → Aug 2026) | 124.9k | 157.5k | ▲ 26.1% | 9th of 48 |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 17,277 | 21,016 | ▲ 21.6% | 22nd of 48 |
| Power line construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,321 | 5,442 | ▲ 25.9% | 19th of 44 |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 8,188 | 8,222 | ▲ 0.4% | 41st of 46 |
| Unemployment rate (Feb 2020 → Aug 2026) | 3.1% | 3.2% | ▲ 0.1pts | — |
| Residential price, ¢/kWh (YTD Jul 2025 → 2026) | 18.03¢ | 19.00¢ | ▲ 5.4% | 34th of 51 |
| Generation fleet → planned additions | 19.7 GW operating | 4.9 GW planned | 25% of fleet | 12th of 51 |
Where Wisconsin ranks among 51
1st = the most. Ranks cover every state and DC that publishes the figure.
Among its neighbors, Wisconsin leads on construction jobs vs. 2019 (+26.1%), ahead of Minnesota (+15.3%).
County spotlight
Milwaukee County holds the most data centers on record in Wisconsin (11), and its electrical contractor workforce changed +32.4% since 2019 to 1,584 jobs. The largest share of planned generation sits in Portage County: 1,432 MW, led by Vista Sands Solar LLC (solar). The fastest-growing electrical trade market is Rock County, where contractor jobs grew 99.0% to 995.
Where Wisconsin sits in the power system
- Grid operator
- MISO
- Operating capacity
- 19.7 GW
- Planned generation
- 4,928 MW
- Under construction or built
- 1,188 MW
- Data centers identified
- 37
- Data center load in queues
- —
- Unemployment, Aug 2026
- 3.2%
- Residential price change
- +5.4%
Neighboring states are shaded. Select one to open its page.
Wisconsin, county by county
72 counties in Wisconsin. Planned generation sits in 17 of them, data centers stand in 13, and local measures are on record in 22. Pick a layer, then select a county for its full record.
County leaders
Counties on record 53
| County | Data centers | Planned MW | Building MW | Lead developer | Electrical contractor jobs | Change 2019–25 | Local measures | Watchlist | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee County | 11 | 1,186 MW | 5 MW | Wisconsin Electric Power Co | 1,584 | ▲ 32.4% | — | — | |
| Dane County | 9 | 361 MW | 361 MW | Invenergy Services LLC | 2,365 | ▲ 2.7% | 2 (2 in force) | 1 | |
| Brown County | 3 | — | — | — | 1,262 | ▲ 34.0% | 2 (0 in force) | — | |
| Racine County | 3 | — | — | — | 597 | ▲ 90.1% | — | 1 | |
| Calumet County | 2 | — | — | — | 137 | ▲ 63.1% | 1 (0 in force) | — | |
| Ozaukee County | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | |
| Waukesha County | 1 | — | — | — | 4,204 | ▲ 27.5% | — | — | |
| Washington County | 1 | — | — | — | 408 | ▲ 20.0% | — | — | |
| Dodge County | 1 | — | — | — | 239 | ▲ 71.9% | 1 (1 in force) | — | |
| Wood County | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | |
| Marquette County | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Dunn County | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Fond du Lac County | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Portage County | — | 1,432 MW | 250 MW | Vista Sands Solar LLC | 203 | ▲ 163.6% | — | — | |
| Columbia County | — | 500 MW | 300 MW | Invenergy Services LLC | 249 | — | — | — | |
| Waushara County | — | 360 MW | — | Dawn Break Solar, LLC | — | — | — | — | |
| Walworth County | — | 324 MW | — | Invenergy Services LLC | 305 | ▲ 91.8% | — | — | |
| Jefferson County | — | 249 MW | 149 MW | Badger State Solar LLC | 149 | ▲ 35.5% | — | — | |
| Juneau County | — | 230 MW | 4 MW | Emerald Bluffs Solar Park LLC | 24 | ▼ 4.0% | — | — | |
| St. Croix County | — | 101 MW | — | Leeward Asset Management, LLC | 432 | ▲ 161.8% | 1 (1 in force) | — | |
| Sheboygan County | — | 99 MW | 99 MW | Wisconsin Power & Light Co | 649 | ▲ 26.8% | — | — | |
| Grant County | — | 67 MW | — | Invenergy Services LLC | 149 | ▲ 34.2% | 1 (1 in force) | — | |
| Barron County | — | 5 MW | 5 MW | OneEnergy, Inc. | — | — | — | — | |
| Chippewa County | — | 4 MW | 4 MW | OneEnergy, Inc. | 130 | ▼ 8.5% | 1 (1 in force) | — | |
| Buffalo County | — | 3 MW | 3 MW | OneEnergy, Inc. | 26 | ▲ 4.0% | — | — | |
| Burnett County | — | 2 MW | 2 MW | OneEnergy, Inc. | 21 | — | — | — | |
| Clark County | — | 2 MW | 2 MW | OneEnergy, Inc. | — | — | — | — | |
| Washburn County | — | 2 MW | 2 MW | OneEnergy, Inc. | 18 | ▲ 50.0% | — | — | |
| Outagamie County | — | — | — | — | 1,321 | ▲ 1.9% | 1 (1 in force) | — | |
| Winnebago County | — | — | — | — | 1,192 | ▲ 1.4% | 1 (1 in force) | — | |
| Rock County | — | — | — | — | 995 | ▲ 99.0% | 1 (1 in force) | — | |
| Marathon County | — | — | — | — | 603 | ▲ 21.1% | 1 (1 in force) | — | |
| Eau Claire County | — | — | — | — | 392 | ▼ 1.5% | 1 (0 in force) | — | |
| La Crosse County | — | — | — | — | 372 | ▲ 15.9% | 1 (1 in force) | — | |
| Manitowoc County | — | — | — | — | 222 | ▲ 55.2% | 1 (1 in force) | — | |
| Kenosha County | — | — | — | — | 133 | ▼ 25.3% | — | 1 | |
| Lincoln County | — | — | — | — | 118 | — | — | — | |
| Ashland County | — | — | — | — | 91 | — | — | — | |
| Iowa County | — | — | — | — | 52 | ▲ 13.0% | — | — | |
| Price County | — | — | — | — | 46 | ▲ 1050.0% | — | — | |
| Door County | — | — | — | — | 45 | ▲ 18.4% | 1 (1 in force) | — | |
| Lafayette County | — | — | — | — | 43 | — | — | — | |
| Trempealeau County | — | — | — | — | 37 | — | — | — | |
| Oconto County | — | — | — | — | 23 | ▲ 21.1% | — | — | |
| Bayfield County | — | — | — | — | 9 | — | — | — | |
| Langlade County | — | — | — | — | 5 | ▼ 44.4% | — | — | |
| Sawyer County | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | |
| Polk County | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | |
| Green County | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | |
| Shawano County | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 (1 in force) | — | |
| Sauk County | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | |
| Oneida County | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | |
| Monroe County | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 (1 in force) | — |
Every county in Wisconsin 72
Each county has its own page: power plants, utilities and prices, jobs since 2019, data centers, local rules and its neighbors.
Cities and towns on record 42
| City or town | County | Data centers | Local measures | Watchlist | Latest record | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee | Milwaukee County | 8 | 1 (0 in force) | — | Proposed one-year pause on new data centers Proposed | |
| Madison | Dane County | 8 | — | — | — | |
| Mount Pleasant | Racine County | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Port Washington | Ozaukee County | 2 | 1 (1 in force) | 1 | Referendum requiring a public vote on large tax incentives In force | |
| Franklin | Milwaukee County | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Green Bay | Brown County | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Harrison | Calumet County | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Menomonie | Dunn County | 1 | — | 1 | Menomonie Data Center | |
| Beaver Dam | Dodge County | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Fitchburg | Dane County | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Germantown | Washington County | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Marshfield | Wood County + Marathon County | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Oxford | Marquette County | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Pewaukee | Waukesha County | 1 | — | — | — | |
| West Milwaukee | Milwaukee County | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Ashwaubenon | Brown County | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | Local moratorium on data centers through June 2, 2027 In force | |
| City of Madison | Dane County | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | 12-month data center moratorium (10,000 sq ft+) In force | |
| City of Superior | Douglas County | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | One-year data center moratorium In force | |
| De Pere | Brown County | — | 1 (0 in force) | — | Proposed one-year data center moratorium Proposed | |
| Janesville | Rock County | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | Local moratorium on data centers through September 28, 2027 In force | |
| Middleton | Dane County | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | Local moratorium on data centers In force | |
| Mishicot | Manitowoc County | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | Mishicot data center moratorium In force | |
| Oshkosh | Winnebago County | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | 12-month moratorium on new data centers In force | |
| Sheboygan | Sheboygan County | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | Local moratorium on data centers through July 23, 2027 In force | |
| Sheboygan Common Council | — | — | 1 (0 in force) | — | Sheboygan Common Council, WI data center moratorium (proposed) Proposed | |
| Town of Beetown | Grant County | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | Local moratorium on data centers In force | |
| Town of Bloomer | Chippewa County | — | 1 (0 in force) | — | Proposed moratorium on data center development, hearing set Proposed | |
| Town of Cassville | Grant County | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | Local moratorium on data centers for a stated term In force | |
| Town of Hampden | Columbia County | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | Local moratorium on data centers In force | |
| Town of New Denmark | Brown County | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | One-year data center moratorium (Resolution 2026-04) In force | |
| Town of Westport | Dane County | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | Local moratorium on data centers through April 6, 2027 In force | |
| Two Creeks | Manitowoc County | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | Two Creeks data center moratorium In force | |
| Two Rivers | Manitowoc County | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | Two Rivers data center moratorium In force | |
| Village of Bellevue | Brown County | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | 12-month data center moratorium In force | |
| Village of Cottage Grove | Dane County | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | 12-month data center moratorium In force | |
| Village of Wrightstown | Brown County + Outagamie County | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | One-year data center moratorium In force | |
| Wisconsin Rapids | Wood County | — | 1 (0 in force) | — | Proposed temporary development moratorium on data centers Proposed | |
| DeForest | Dane County | — | — | 1 | QTS DeForest / Vienna Annexation ($12B, cancelled) | |
| Village of Caledonia | Racine County | — | — | 1 | Project Nova | |
| Village of Greenleaf | Brown County + Brown County | — | — | 1 | Cloverleaf Infrastructure Village of Greenleaf | |
| Wisconsin | — | — | — | 1 | Microsoft (Mount Pleasant data center), Meta (Beaver Dam data center) Wisconsin (statewide moratorium bill) | |
| Wisconsin Legislature | — | — | — | 1 | Fairwater Wisconsin (Mount Pleasant) (referenced) |
Data center counts come from every facility on the SAVRN Data Center Map, counted in the county and the city or community where each building physically stands (Census boundaries), not its mailing address. Jurisdictions appear as the Moratorium Tracker records them.
Wisconsin, from generation to the household bill
1Grid operator
- Peak load 2025
- 121 GW
- Peak load forecast 2035
- 163 GW
2Generation pipeline
- Operating capacity
- 19.7 GW
- Planned, all types
- 4,928 MW
- Under construction or built
- 1,188 MW
- Planned gas
- 1,506 MW
- Planned retirements 2026–30
- 1,942 MW
- Net firm additions derived
- -755 MW
3Data center demand
- Data centers identified
- 37
- Operators
- 28
- Load in tracked queues
- —
- Utility large-load projects
- 3
- Commercial sales, YTD change
- +1.4%
- Industry share of state GDP
- 2.1%
4Jobs and pay
- Unemployment, Aug 2026
- 3.2% (+0.1 pts y/y)
- Construction jobs vs 2019
- +26.1%
- Manufacturing jobs vs 2019
- -5.2%
- Electrical contractor jobs 2019–25
- +21.6%
- Electrician median pay
- $76,540
- Electrician ÷ cashier pay
- 2.48×
5Household bill
- Residential price, YTD Jul 2026
- 19.00¢/kWh
- Change vs YTD 2025
- +5.4%
- All-sector price change
- +4.7%
- Total retail sales change
- +2.4%
6Policy friction
- State measures on record
- 8
- Local measures (in force)
- 49 (39)
- Watchlist projects
- 11
- Lawsuits tracked
- 0
- Announced capital, disclosed
- $37.0B
- Dedicated tax incentive
- Yes
Planned power plants in Wisconsin
Every planned generator in Wisconsin in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, by technology, then the 15 largest units. Under construction or built covers status codes U, V and TS.
| Technology | Units | Planned MW | Under construction or built |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solar | 20 | 3,037 MW | 1,049 MW |
| Natural gas | 8 | 1,506 MW | — |
| Battery storage | 3 | 319 MW | 139 MW |
| Wind | 1 | 67 MW | — |
Largest planned generators
| Plant | County | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vista Sands Solar | Portage | Solar Photovoltaic | 1,182 MW | Approvals pending | 2028 | Vista Sands Solar LLC |
| Koshkonong Solar Energy Center LLC | Dane | Solar Photovoltaic | 300 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2026 | Invenergy Services LLC |
| High Noon Solar Energy LLC | Columbia | Solar Photovoltaic | 300 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2027 | Invenergy Services LLC |
| Portage Solar, LLC | Portage | Solar Photovoltaic | 250 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2027 | Geronimo Power |
| South Oak Creek | Milwaukee | Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | 236 MW | Approvals pending | 2028 | Wisconsin Electric Power Co |
| South Oak Creek | Milwaukee | Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | 236 MW | Approvals pending | 2028 | Wisconsin Electric Power Co |
| South Oak Creek | Milwaukee | Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | 236 MW | Approvals pending | 2028 | Wisconsin Electric Power Co |
| South Oak Creek | Milwaukee | Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | 236 MW | Approvals pending | 2028 | Wisconsin Electric Power Co |
| South Oak Creek | Milwaukee | Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | 236 MW | Approvals pending | 2028 | Wisconsin Electric Power Co |
| Emerald Bluffs Solar Park | Juneau | Solar Photovoltaic | 225 MW | Approvals pending | 2028 | Emerald Bluffs Solar Park LLC |
| Ursa Solar, LLC | Columbia | Solar Photovoltaic | 200 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2027 | Samsung C&T Renewables, LLC |
| Dawn Break Solar | Waushara | Solar Photovoltaic | 180 MW | Approvals pending | 2029 | Dawn Break Solar, LLC |
| Dawn Break Solar | Waushara | Batteries | 180 MW | Approvals pending | 2029 | Dawn Break Solar, LLC |
| Badger State Solar LLC | Jefferson | Solar Photovoltaic | 149 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2027 | Badger State Solar LLC |
| Foundry Ridge Energy Center LLC | Walworth | Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | 108 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2028 | Invenergy Services LLC |
What the Wisconsin build-out runs on
Who is building generation in Wisconsin, which manufacturers and contractors have a plant, expansion or contract recorded here, and how long the critical equipment takes to arrive.
Developers and owners with planned generation
| Developer or owner | Units | Planned MW | Building MW | Main technology | Counties |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vista Sands Solar LLC | 1 | 1,182 MW | — | Solar | 1 |
| Wisconsin Electric Power Co | 5 | 1,182 MW | — | Natural gas | 1 |
| Invenergy Services LLC | 7 | 1,091 MW | 600 MW | Solar | 5 |
| Dawn Break Solar, LLC | 2 | 360 MW | — | Battery storage | 1 |
| Geronimo Power | 1 | 250 MW | 250 MW | Solar | 1 |
| Emerald Bluffs Solar Park LLC | 1 | 225 MW | — | Solar | 1 |
| Samsung C&T Renewables, LLC | 1 | 200 MW | — | Solar | 1 |
| Badger State Solar LLC | 1 | 149 MW | 149 MW | Solar | 1 |
| Leeward Asset Management, LLC | 1 | 101 MW | — | Solar | 1 |
| Wisconsin Power & Light Co | 2 | 100 MW | 100 MW | Solar | 2 |
| Madison Gas & Electric Co | 2 | 60 MW | 60 MW | Battery storage | 1 |
| OneEnergy, Inc. | 7 | 24 MW | 24 MW | Solar | 7 |
| WEC: City of Milwaukee - Airport Expansion | 1 | 5 MW | 5 MW | Solar | 1 |
Manufacturers and contractors with a recorded Wisconsin footprint
No plant, expansion or contract in the manufacturer record names Wisconsin. The national suppliers below serve every state.
Order-by check derived
16 of the 16 planned units of 50 MW or more in Wisconsin that are not yet under construction (3,741 of 3,741 MW) are past the date their step-up transformer had to be ordered to meet the planned in-service date, and 8 gas units are (1,506 MW) past the turbine order date as well. These units hold their schedules only if the equipment is already on order.
| Plant | Technology | MW | Planned in service | Transformer order-by | Turbine order-by | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vista Sands Solar | Solar | 1,182 MW | Dec 2028 | Nov 2025 | — | Vista Sands Solar LLC |
| South Oak Creek | Natural gas | 236 MW | Feb 2028 | Jan 2025 | Feb 2023 | Wisconsin Electric Power Co |
| South Oak Creek | Natural gas | 236 MW | Feb 2028 | Jan 2025 | Feb 2023 | Wisconsin Electric Power Co |
| South Oak Creek | Natural gas | 236 MW | Feb 2028 | Jan 2025 | Feb 2023 | Wisconsin Electric Power Co |
| South Oak Creek | Natural gas | 236 MW | Feb 2028 | Jan 2025 | Feb 2023 | Wisconsin Electric Power Co |
| South Oak Creek | Natural gas | 236 MW | Feb 2028 | Jan 2025 | Feb 2023 | Wisconsin Electric Power Co |
| Emerald Bluffs Solar Park | Solar | 225 MW | Dec 2028 | Nov 2025 | — | Emerald Bluffs Solar Park LLC |
| Ursa Solar, LLC | Solar | 200 MW | Jun 2027 | May 2024 | — | Samsung C&T Renewables, LLC |
| Dawn Break Solar | Battery storage | 180 MW | Sep 2029 | Aug 2026 | — | Dawn Break Solar, LLC |
| Dawn Break Solar | Solar | 180 MW | Sep 2029 | Aug 2026 | — | Dawn Break Solar, LLC |
| Foundry Ridge Energy Center LLC | Natural gas | 108 MW | Aug 2028 | Jul 2025 | Aug 2023 | Invenergy Services LLC |
| Foundry Ridge Energy Center LLC | Natural gas | 108 MW | Aug 2028 | Jul 2025 | Aug 2023 | Invenergy Services LLC |
Lead times, OEM backlogs and the national generation and grid contractors are on the national supply chain section.
Data center and large-load demand in Wisconsin
37 data centers run by 28 operators are identified in Wisconsin. The full list by city is on the Wisconsin Data Center Map page. Utilities report 3 large customer projects here to EEI.
| Utility | Customer or type | MW stated | Investment stated | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alliant Energy | Meta | — | $1 billion | |
| We Energies (WEC Energy Group) | OpenAI, Oracle, Vantage Data Centers | 1,300 MW | $15 billion | |
| We Energies (WEC Energy Group) | Microsoft | 2,600 MW | $20 billion |
The Wisconsin jobs report, and who the build-out employs
Payroll employment, August 2026 (preliminary)
| Industry | Jobs | Change vs Aug 2025 | Change vs Aug 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total nonfarm | 3,057.3k | ▲ 0.6% | ▲ 2.5% (+74.3k) |
| Construction | 157.5k | ▲ 7.1% | ▲ 26.1% (+32.6k) |
| Manufacturing | 458.4k | ▲ 0.3% | ▼ 5.2% (-25.0k) |
| Mining and logging | 4.1k | ▲ 2.5% | ▼ 2.4% (-0.1k) |
| Retail trade | 286.1k | ▼ 2.5% | ▼ 3.4% (-10.0k) |
Power and data industries, 2019 to 2025
| Industry | Jobs 2019 | Jobs 2025 | Change | Average pay 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Data processing and hosting | 8,188 | 8,222 | ▲ 0.4% | $130,255 |
| Electrical contractors | 17,277 | 21,016 | ▲ 21.6% | $85,500 |
| Power and communication line construction | 4,321 | 5,442 | ▲ 25.9% | $102,063 |
| Electric power generation, transmission, distribution | — | 7,169 | — | $131,638 |
| Transformer manufacturing | — | 2,198 | — | $86,254 |
Pay ladder, May 2025
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual pay | Multiple of cashier pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cashiers | 65,380 | $30,880 | 1.00× |
| Fast food and counter workers | 67,750 | $28,600 | 0.93× |
| Retail salespersons | 67,640 | $34,480 | 1.12× |
| All occupations | 2,941,540 | $50,270 | 1.63× |
| Construction laborers | 20,330 | $56,100 | 1.82× |
| Welders | 15,320 | $58,410 | 1.89× |
| HVAC mechanics | 6,630 | $61,710 | 2.00× |
| Plumbers and pipefitters | 10,210 | $81,210 | 2.63× |
| Electricians | 14,310 | $76,540 | 2.48× |
| Power plant operators | 420 | $66,080 | 2.14× |
| Power-line installers | 2,520 | $105,820 | 3.43× |
| Construction supervisors | 15,150 | $85,350 | 2.76× |
| Electrical engineers | 3,550 | $99,700 | 3.23× |
County-level contractor jobs and pay are in the county record above.
What the data center industry adds to Wisconsin
PwC figures are modeled estimates commissioned by the industry.
The rules and the pipeline in Wisconsin
State measures 8
| Bill | Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AB 1099 / SB 1061 | Moratorium on operation of data centers | Failed / vetoed | 2026-03 | |
| SB 244 | Relating to: modifying the sales and use tax exemption for qualified data centers. (FE) | Failed / vetoed | 2026-03 | |
| Wisconsin (statewide PSC rate hearing) | Wisconsin: Two Wisconsin PSC dockets address data center rate structures. | Proposed | 2026-02 | |
| Wisconsin | Wisconsin: Senate Bill 969, authored by Sen. Andre Jacque (R-New Franken), would prohibit NDAs between data center companies and municipalities | Failed / vetoed | 2026-02 | |
| AB 840 | Wisconsin AB 840 / SB 843 (Rep. Shannon Zimmerman R-River Falls, Sen. Romaine Quinn R-Birchwood), a GOP-led data center bill, passed the Assembly in January | Failed / vetoed | 2026-01 | |
| SB 729 | Wisconsin SB 729 / AB 722, the Data Center Accountability Act, authored by Sen. Jodi Habush Sinykin (D-Whitefish Bay) and Rep. Angela Stroud (D-Ashland) | Failed / vetoed | 2026-01 | |
| Wisconsin Legislature (Act 16 data-center TID exception) | Wisconsin: Governor Tony Evers signed Assembly Bill 140 (now 2025 Wisconsin Act 16), which created statutory exceptions from the standard 12% equalized-value | In force | 2025-07 | |
| AB 302 | Relating to: a sales and use tax exemption for data center equipment or software. (FE) | Failed / vetoed | 2024-04 |
Delay Watchlist projects 11
| Project | Location | Status | Cause | MW | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lighthouse Campus (Port Washington), Oracle/Vantage/OpenAI | Port Washington, Ozaukee County | active litigation | 1,000 MW | ||
| Project Nova | Village of Caledonia | cancelled | 900 MW | ||
| Menomonie Data Center | Menomonie | cancelled | 750 MW | ||
| Lighthouse (Port Washington) | Port Washington | litigation active | — | ||
| Microsoft Mount Pleasant AI Campus (Foxconn site) | Mount Pleasant, Racine County | construction partially paused | — | ||
| Microsoft Kenosha Data Center (proposed) | Kenosha, Kenosha County | under council consideration | — | ||
| QTS DeForest / Vienna Annexation ($12B, cancelled) | DeForest / Town of Vienna, Dane County | cancelled | — | ||
| Fairwater Wisconsin (Mount Pleasant) (referenced) | Wisconsin Legislature (SB 729 Data Center Accountability Bill) | denied | — | ||
| Microsoft (Mount Pleasant data center), Meta (Beaver Dam data center) Wisconsin (statewide moratorium bill) | Wisconsin (statewide moratorium bill) | cancelled | — | ||
| DC Rapids LLC Data Center (former papermill site) | Wisconsin Rapids (Wood County) | pending review | — | ||
| Cloverleaf Infrastructure Village of Greenleaf | Village of Greenleaf | cancelled | — |
Local moratoria and restrictions (49) appear by county and city in the county-by-county section. Counts include every status in the weekly tracker feeds as of October 5, 2026. The Wisconsin Data Center Map page counts only active local pauses and delayed or blocked projects as of its September 2 rebuild, so its figures are lower. The difference is one of definition and date.
Wisconsin's neighbors
Wisconsin power, answered from the record
How much new power generation is planned in Wisconsin?
EIA's August 2026 inventory lists 4,928 MW of planned generators in Wisconsin, 1,188 MW of it under construction or built. By capacity the pipeline is solar 62%, natural gas 31%, battery storage 6%. The largest single unit is Vista Sands Solar (1,182 MW, Vista Sands Solar LLC). Owners plan to retire 1,942 MW from 2026 to 2030.
Who runs the power grid in Wisconsin?
MISO serves most of Wisconsin as the regional wholesale market and grid operator. No data center load is tracked in its queues yet.
Which data center projects are delayed in Wisconsin?
The SAVRN Delay Watchlist names 11 projects in Wisconsin, among them Lighthouse Campus (Port Washington), Oracle/Vantage/OpenAI (1,000 MW), Project Nova (900 MW), Menomonie Data Center (750 MW).
Is planned generation in Wisconsin on schedule?
16 of 16 planned units of 50 MW or more not yet under construction are past the latest date to order a step-up transformer (more than 160 weeks) for their planned in-service date, and 8 gas units are past the turbine order date (about five years). They hold schedule only if equipment is already on order.
Is the build-out creating trade jobs in Wisconsin?
Construction employment is +26.1% against August 2019. Electrical contractor jobs went from 17,277 in 2019 to 21,016 in 2025 (+21.6%, 22nd in the country).
Are electricity prices rising in Wisconsin?
Residential electricity averaged 19.00¢/kWh from January to July 2026, +5.4% on a year earlier, the 34th fastest increase of 51. Commercial sales, the class that includes data centers, changed +1.4%.
What do electricians earn in Wisconsin?
The median electrician in Wisconsin earned $76,540 in May 2025, 2.48 times the median cashier, and power-line installers earned $105,820 (BLS OEWS).
Does Wisconsin have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 8 state-level measures (1 enacted) and 49 local moratoria or restrictions in Wisconsin, 39 of them in force, 6th most in the country.
Wisconsin across the SAVRN trackers
Sources for this page
- BEA state GDP via FRED
- BLS LAUS
- BLS OEWS
- BLS QCEW
- BLS State Employment (CES)
- EEI large customer projects
- EIA Electric Power Monthly
- EIA-860M (Aug 2026)
- NCSL
- PwC for the Data Center Coalition
- SAVRN Capital Atlas
- SAVRN Data Center Map
- SAVRN Delay Watchlist
- SAVRN Grid Operator Watchlist
- SAVRN Moratorium Tracker
- U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundaries (via us-atlas)
Every figure links to its original source through the Sources buttons. Values marked derived are calculated from reported figures.