Friday, July 31, 2026
Voters bring data center, AI concerns to Wisconsin governor candidates
Francesca PicaClaudia LevensJaeha JangIsabella Russomanno Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
For a growing number of Wisconsin residents, the data center debate is personal. And that’s what they told candidates for governor face-to-face in Milwaukee July 29.
The five Democratic candidates for governor met at Turner Hall to discuss data centers and artificial intelligence at a town hall hosted by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Presumptive Republican nominee Tom Tiffany was invited but declined to attend.
The primary election is scheduled for Aug. 11.
Following a debate hosted by Journal Sentinel political reporter Jessie Opoien, the candidates heard questions about data center policy and other matters directly from attendees during informal discussions.
Here’s what audience members wanted to know:
Should Wisconsin pause new data center development?
Allison Mally, 22, lives in a small village near Wisconsin Rapids, where a data center proposal surfaced in the spring. Those plans are on hold after the city passed stricter permitting requirements in May.
Meanwhile, some area residents are calling for a moratorium on new data center development – including Mally.
“The Wisconsin River is one of the most important lifebloods in the area because we have the cranberry industry just to the south of us,” Mally said. “Not to mention the possibility of rates going up with the utility and electric bills.”
Mally asked Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, who opposes a statewide data center moratorium, what he thought about Wisconsin Rapids’ proposal. Crowley said the decision to pause data center development should rest with local municipalities, who can better weigh the risks and benefits of such projects for their residents.
If a local community doesn't want a data center and implements a moratorium, "that's perfect," Crowley said.
Mally still favors a statewide pause proposed by state Rep. Francesca Hong, the front runner.
Aryana Khan, 20, also made the three-hour trip from Wisconsin Rapids with her friend Cloey Hilliker, 23.
Khan has seen the local fervor around data center concerns in her own community. Around 500 people had attended a local town hall event on the proposal in the city, which took place in April days before the city voted on permitting requirements. Khan had volunteered at the event.
How should Wisconsin regulate AI use?
But when Khan approached state Sen. Kelda Roys' table on July 29, she wanted to know her perspective on the use and regulation of AI tools, which data centers serve as the physical infrastructure for.
Khan asked for Roys' thoughts on the “surge in Flock cameras” and other AI surveillance technology that gathers data about peoples’ likenesses.
Roys said surveillance data usage and privacy issues are critical to her campaign, one she wished the candidates had spoken more about during the panel.
Roys said her policy platform includes ways to regulate big tech companies and address everything from bots raising the prices of concert tickets to addictive social media platforms targeting kids to the weaponization of drones to protecting privacy from Flock cameras.
“I didn’t know much about (Roys) before I came here today. But by the end of it, it’s between her and Francesca,” Khan said.
“I think Kelda is focusing on broad legislative and executive actions around data centers. She has her mind on many different aspects. Whereas Francesca laser focused on a moratorium first and foremost.”
Hilliker asked former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes about what he’d do to address the negative mental health impacts of AI chatbots, dubbed “AI psychosis.” She also wanted to know how he’d regulate AI use to protect workers vulnerable from large-scale layoffs.
Barnes told them he’d work with state agencies to create rules about AI use that best fit the needs of different industries from health care to agriculture. He also said federal lawmakers have failed to properly address big tech’s negative mental health impacts for years.
Hilliker appreciated Barnes’ willingness to address AI from a public mental health perspective. But she's still leaning toward Hong, who she says is better able to motivate underrepresented and previously disengaged voters.
“I think we’re looking for more of a fight,” she said.
Barnes ended his campaign for governor July 30.
How should Wisconsin manage its power grid?
Logan Owens, 19, works in computing for Northwestern Mutual. He's noticed the increased attention to his field.
“It's kind of odd to watch my job become a core issue in the governor's race,” he said.
Owens wanted to test candidates’ knowledge of the power grid, including how they feel about permitting for new power plants and high-voltage transmission lines. Many of these projects are being built to service large data centers, and Owens worries they could lead to higher electric bills.
Owens said some candidates dodged the more technical aspects of utility-related questions, though he was impressed by Dept. of Administration Secretary Joel Brennan’s grasp of power grid issues. For now, he’s undecided but also likes Hong and Crowley.
“Talking to these people directly and getting to ask my kind of silly, very hyper-specific questions, I don't always expect the greatest answer, but it's just the opportunity to ask that really has value to me,” he said.
Owens said the ability to speak one-on-one with candidates allows him to see what they have to offer beyond canned soundbytes.
“Ultimately, you either see them in attack ads, you see them in ads, or you see them repeating the same slogans,” he said. “And I think it's nice to be able to throw my question in and say, hey, what do you think about high-voltage power lines?”
City seeking public input for renaming the former Cesar Chavez Community Center
Holly Gilvary
RACINE — Residents are being asked to submit suggestions for renaming the community center at Douglas Park, formerly known as the Cesar Chavez Community Center.
The city has launched of an ad hoc committee to gather public input and recommend a new name for the facility.
Following news released in March that United Farmer Workers co-founder Cesar Chavez had sexually assaulted co-founder Dolores Huerta, as well as other young women in the movement, Racine Mayor Cory Mason proposed that the city change the name of the facility to the Dolores Huerta Community Center.
"After learning about the horrific reports that Cesar Chavez sexually assaulted young women, I believe our community deserves a name that better reflects the values we hold today," Mason said in a news release. "That's why I'm asking residents to help identify a name that honors our community and the people this center serves."
Mason appointed State Assembly Rep. Angelina Cruz, D-Racine, to chair the committee.
Cruz will lead the public engagement process, including accepting name suggestions from residents and recruiting community members interested in serving on the ad hoc committee, according to the city.
Residents can email name suggestions to Rep.Cruz@legis.wisconsin.gov or call 888-534-0062. The deadline for submissions is Sept. 1.
The city is following the same process that was used during the community center's previous renaming by establishing an ad hoc committee to gather public input and develop a recommendation. The committee will review residents' responses and recommend a single name to the Racine Board of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services.
The PRCS Board will consider the recommendation before forwarding it to the Common Council for final consideration later this fall, according to the city.
The city said it will share additional information about the ad hoc committee and the renaming process as it becomes available.
Thursday, July 30, 2026
Wednesday, July 29, 2026
Tuesday, July 28, 2026
Monday, July 27, 2026
Amid storms, flash flood warning issued for Racine and Kenosha County
Jack AlbrightCaden Perry
The thunderstorms blanketing much of southern Wisconsin have hit Kenosha and Racine, prompting the National Weather Service to issue a flash flood warning in both counties until 3 p.m. Monday, July 27.
Between 2 and 3 inches of rain have already fallen, with another 1-2 inches possible. The additional rain is expected to flood small creeks, streets — including highways — along with low-lying areas.
The National Weather Service recommends residents turn around when encountering flooded roads and not try to drive through them.
See weather radar for Racine County
What is a flash flood?
A flash flood is a flood caused by heavy or excessive rainfall in a period of 6 hours or less, according to the NWS.
Flash floods are usually characterized by sudden onset torrents that develop after heavy rains. A flash flood can take just minutes to develop and is possible in areas not immediately receiving rain.
What's the difference between a flash flood watch and a flash flood warning?
A flash flood warning is issued when a flash flood is imminent or occurring. If you are in a flood prone area and receive a warning, you should act immediately and move to high ground.
In contrast, the NWS only issues a flash flood watch when flash flooding is possible but not occuring imminently.
What to do during a flood warning
- Evacuate immediately if advised to do so.
- Use a battery-operated radio or television to get the latest emergency information.
- Do not walk through floodwater. It only takes six inches of floodwater to sweep you off your feet if it is moving swiftly.
- Turn around, don't drown; do not drive into a flooded street. Cars can be swept away by two feet of moving water. There may be unseen damage to the road as well. If you come to a flooded area, turn around and go another way. Most flood-related deaths are caused by people driving through water.
- Watch out for fire hazards.
- Move to higher ground.
- Stay alert, turn weather notifications on.
- Do not allow children to play in flowing water. Waters can hide rocks, trees and debris.
Sunday, July 26, 2026
Saturday, July 25, 2026
Friday, July 24, 2026
Will residential customers be forced to pay for data center power lines?
Francesca Pica
As more Wisconsin utilities look to hold hyperscale data centers financially responsible for new power plants, regulators are still left to decide a key question: who's paying for the power lines?
On July 16, American Transmission Co. filed plans to shield residents from costs related to Microsoft’s multibillion-dollar data center campus on the former Foxconn site in Mount Pleasant. The power line company serves more than five million customers in eastern Wisconsin, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and parts of Minnesota and Illinois.
It’s the first in a string of plans to directly assign data center-related transmission costs to the tech companies that own them, according to ATC. These include Vantage Data Centers’ $15 billion project in Port Washington and a data center in Beaver Dam owned by Facebook parent Meta.
ATC is planning more than $2 billion in new high-voltage power lines, substations and facility upgrades to help serve large data centers – an unprecedented build-out for the company. ATC charges these costs to utilities like We Energies, who send them to their customers through energy bills.
We Energies will pay the total cost of transmission capacity a data center requests “even in the event the end-use data center customer fails to materialize or take 100% of the requested service,” according to the proposal. Microsoft must then pay the utility back in full.
“It’s a little bit like a builder. You say, ‘I want a four-bedroom house,’ and it's like, ‘well, I'm only going to use three of them for a while and I don’t want to pay for one quarter,’” said Ellen Nowak, ATC vice president of regulatory and government affairs.
“You asked us to build a four-bedroom house – you’re getting a four-bedroom house and you’re going to pay for the whole house.”
A Microsoft spokesperson told the Journal Sentinel the tech company “remains committed to paying the costs our data center operations require while protecting other ratepayers.”
Regulators previously approved separate electric rate for data centers
In April, the state Public Service Commission modified and approved a separate electric rate for data centers in We Energies’ service area, including the Mount Pleasant project. It’s intended to ensure data centers pay for billions of dollars in new infrastructure needed to serve them.
But unlike new power plants, transmission projects built by ATC are not covered by the data center rate. Commissioners warned that if these costs are not accounted for, they could end up on residents’ energy bills.
We Energies said in April it was working with ATC on a plan to address transmission costs.
Consumer advocates have warned about the cost of the transmission lines throughout the process. They include the Citizens Utility Board of Wisconsin, which represents residents in utility cases.
“Without the large and loud engagement on this topic, I doubt we would have seen the movement we have from the applicant and ATC to evaluate creative solutions to this issue,” Commissioner Marcus Hawkins said in April.
CUB executive director Tom Content said the group will review ATC’s proposal “with an eye toward shielding data center-linked costs from the power bills paid by the residential and small business customers we represent.”
“This proposal goes to the heart of a key issue for CUB, ensuring customers aren’t left holding the bag for billions of costs for new power lines ATC has asked to build to serve them,” Content said. “We had expressed concern in the data center tariff case about how transmission costs were to be allocated and the PSC responded by revamping the original We Energies proposal.”
More data center plans coming, power line company says
ATC says plans for the Port Washington and Beaver Dam data centers will be filed separately.
Meanwhile, the Public Service Commission is ordering retail utilities create a uniform electric rate for all their large data center customers. Commissioners say this will increase transparency and ensure fairness in future projects.
But ATC says agreements for individual projects are in line with its past filings as well as data center plans enacted by transmission owners in other states. The rules for wholesalers like ATC are different, the company added.
“That’s not atypical for us,” Nowak said. “Our agreements are going to be very similar among all of our customers. It's just going to be different inputs, and we have to treat all of our customers similarly and equally.”
In March, Meta, Oracle, Microsoft and other tech giants signed a White House agreement promising to cover all costs associated with their data center build-outs. The Trump administration expanded the nonbinding pledge in July as it seeks to promote AI development.
Meanwhile, data centers are facing growing public backlash. Marquette University Law School's July poll found that three quarters of Wisconsin voters viewed data centers unfavorably, up from 55% in October.
CUB will be watching for future agreements for the other data center campuses, Content said.
“It's critical to ensure data center developers are paying their full share for the costs needed to serve them, including ‘network upgrades’ that tech companies committed to funding when they signed the Ratepayer Protection Pledge this spring at the White House,” he said.
Cost recovery rules add urgency
Retail utilities like We Energies cannot pass along the cost of a new power plant until it comes online, years after initial approval. But a regulatory exception allows ATC to charge customers for projects that are still under construction.
The new transmission projects for Microsoft’s campus have already been approved by state regulators, totaling $625 million. Two more substations initially built for Foxconn will serve the project and be covered by ATC’s July 16 plan.
A $1.5 billion high-voltage power line for the Port Washington data center is also pending commission approval.
The cost recovery rule means customer protections must be put in place soon, before new projects make their way into electric rates, consumer advocates warn.
We Energies earmarked $620 million in transmission charges for data centers in 2027 and 2028, according to its energy rate plan. State regulators will likely vote on approval of the plan by the end of 2026.
Both the state Public Service Commission and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission must sign off on ATC's plan. It has been sent to the regional grid operator for review, the company says. It’s expected to come before federal regulators by early August.
Once it’s filed, the federal agency will have 60 days to respond.
Francesca Pica can be reached at fpica@usatodayco.com.
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