Columbia County, Wisconsin: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Portage, Columbus and Lodi
New generation is lining up in Columbia County. Columbia County is home to Portage, Columbus, Lodi and Poynette. Owners plan to retire 1,112 MW more by 2035, led by Columbia (WI) in 2029. 500 MW of new generation is planned here across 2 units, led by Invenergy Services LLC (solar), the 3rd largest pipeline among Wisconsin's counties. 300 MW of it is already under construction or built. Its power plants have 1,300 MW of capacity, 86% of it coal, the 4th largest fleet in Wisconsin. 17 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar.
Cities and towns in Columbia County
Columbia County is home to Portage, Columbus, Lodi and Poynette.
And 6 smaller places.
- Wisconsin Dells also extends into Sauk County, Adams County.
- Randolph also extends into Dodge County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Dekorra, Lake Wisconsin.
Residents are 2025 Census estimates for the part of each city, town or township inside this county. Census publishes no annual estimate for unincorporated communities.
What changed in Columbia County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 58,534 | 58,132 | ▼ 0.7% | 26th of 72 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 22,724 | 21,764 | ▼ 4.2% | 57th of 72 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $41,735 | $55,108 | ▲ 32.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.0% | 3.1% | ▲ 0.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 17 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 500 MW | 38% of today's fleet | 3rd of 17 by size |
Employers here counted 21,764 jobs in 2025, down 4.2% from 2019. Electrical contractors employ 249, at an average $66,685 a year. Wisconsin Electric Power Co is the largest utility serving Columbia County, one of 7 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 19.23¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.25¢ median for Wisconsin utilities. Unemployment was 3.1% in August 2026, against 3.0% in 2019. 58,132 people live here, down 0.7% since 2020.
Who powers Columbia County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +17 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Columbia County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wisconsin Electric Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 1,048,148 | 19.23¢ | 38% |
| Wisconsin Power & Light Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 437,211 | 16.89¢ | 22% |
| Adams-Columbia Electric Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 35,910 | 17.63¢ | 16% |
| City of Columbus - (WI) | Municipal | Bundled | 2,459 | 12.34¢ | 32% |
| City of Lodi - (WI) | Municipal | Bundled | 1,490 | 13.29¢ | 58% |
| Village of Pardeeville - (WI) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Wisconsin Dells Electric Util | — | — | — | — | — |
Customer counts, prices and sales shares cover each utility's whole system in the state, not only this county. Commercial sales include data centers.
Operating power plants 5
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Coal | 1,112 MW | 86% |
| Wind | 162 MW | 12% |
| Solar | 12 MW | 1% |
| Hydro | 10 MW | 1% |
| Battery storage | 5 MW | 0% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia (WI) | Wisconsin Power & Light Co | Coal | 1,112 MW | 1975 |
| Glacier Hills | Wisconsin Electric Power Co | Wind | 162 MW | 2011 |
| Portage Solar Plant | Portage Solar Plant | Solar | 12 MW | 2023 |
| Kilbourn | Wisconsin Power & Light Co | Hydro | 10 MW | 1926 |
| Portage Industrial Battery | Wisconsin Power & Light Co | Battery storage | 5 MW | 2022 |
Planned generation 2
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High Noon Solar Energy LLC | Solar Photovoltaic | 300 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2027 | Invenergy Services LLC |
| Ursa Solar, LLC | Solar Photovoltaic | 200 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2027 | Samsung C&T Renewables, LLC |
Scheduled to retire
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia (WI) | Coal | 1,112 MW | 2029 |
The Columbia County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 21,764 | $55,108 | 1.00 |
| Electrical contractors | 249 | $66,685 | 1.59 |
Concentration is the BLS location quotient: 1.0 means the industry holds the same share of local jobs as it does nationally. Industry rows count private employers; cells BLS suppresses are left out.
Data centers and local rules in Columbia County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Columbia County. Wisconsin has 49 local measures on record statewide, and 3 neighboring counties have one: Dane County, Dodge County, Sauk County.
Columbia County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Columbia County, Dane County carries the most build-out activity: data centers, planned generation and operating plants combined.
| County | Population | Jobs since 2019 | Operating MW | Planned MW | Data centers | Local measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia County | 58,132 | ▼ 4.2% | 1,300 MW | 500 MW | — | — |
| Adams County | 21,752 | ▲ 0.4% | 23 MW | — | — | — |
| Dane County | 590,375 | ▲ 4.9% | 1,172 MW | 361 MW | 9 | 2 |
| Dodge County | 89,097 | ▲ 3.7% | 337 MW | — | 1 | 1 |
| Green Lake County | 19,305 | ▼ 0.8% | 2 MW | — | — | — |
| Juneau County | 26,649 | ▼ 2.3% | 45 MW | 230 MW | — | — |
| Marquette County | 15,927 | ▲ 0.1% | — | — | 1 | — |
| Sauk County | 66,652 | ▼ 1.8% | 33 MW | — | — | 1 |
More of Wisconsin
Columbia County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Columbia County, Wisconsin?
7 utilities have service territory in Columbia County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Wisconsin Electric Power Co, Wisconsin Power & Light Co, Adams-Columbia Electric Coop, City of Columbus - (WI). The largest, Wisconsin Electric Power Co, charged residential customers 19.23¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Columbia County?
5 operating plants with 1,300 MW of capacity. The largest is Columbia (WI) (1,112 MW, coal).
How much new power is planned in Columbia County?
500 MW across 2 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 300 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Invenergy Services LLC.
Are there data centers in Columbia County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Columbia County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Dane County.
Is Columbia County adding jobs?
Employers counted 21,764 jobs in 2025 against 22,724 in 2019 (-4.2%, BLS QCEW).
Does Columbia County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Columbia County. Wisconsin has 49 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.