CUB in the News

Wisconsin data centers to pay full energy costs under new rate, regulators say
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MSN | April 2026 The Wisconsin Public Service Commission has approved a groundbreaking electricity rate plan requiring data centers to pay the full cost of the power plants and infrastructure needed to support them. This unanimous decision ensures that residential and small business customers will not see their bills increase to subsidize the massive energy…

Wisconsin regulators revise We Energies data center tariff to shift full costs to tech companies
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58News Milwaukee | Meredith Hackler The Public Service Commission met Friday, April 24, to consider a proposal by the Wisconsin Electric Power Company. The proposal aims to make sure that data centers are paying their own way. The commission spent hours discussing We Energies’ proposal and made several changes to the proposal that please consumer…

State regulators change We Energies’ data center rate proposal to protect customers
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Wisconsin Public Radio | Joe Schulz State regulators signed off on a first-of-its-kind plan in Wisconsin setting how large data centers served by We Energies will pay for the electricity they use and the infrastructure built to power them. The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin on Friday unanimously approved a special rate plan for data…

Wisconsin regulators: Data centers must cover full cost of their energy needs
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Wisconsin Watch | Paul Kiefer Large data centers served by We Energies will pick up the entire tab for new power plants, solar farms and other generators needed to power the massive structures in eastern Wisconsin.  But the full picture of a payment structure the Wisconsin Public Service Commission unanimously approved Friday is more complex. The new agreement,…

PSC makes significant changes while approving We Energies data center electricity rates
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BizTimes | Arthur Thomas The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin on Friday approved proposed electricity rates for data centers served by We Energies while making changes aimed at protecting other customers from paying costs from serving the utility’s new largest customers.  Read the Article    

Electricity analysts raise concerns over proposed data center rate plan
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By: Francesca Pica | Milwaukee Journal Sentinel A new report warns that residential utility customers in Wisconsin could end up subsidizing the massive energy needs of incoming data centers. As utilities propose new infrastructure investments, concerns are growing that costs will be shifted onto households and small businesses instead of the corporations driving the demand.…

Disputes over clean energy may doom Wisconsin data center bills
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By: Kari Lydersen | Canary Media Wisconsin lawmakers on both sides of the aisle agree that data centers shouldn’t drive up utility bills for families and small businesses. But a new bill has sparked debate over a provision that would limit access to off-site clean energy, potentially locking in more fossil fuel use. As this…

As energy-hungry data centers loom, Wisconsin ratepayers owe $1 billion on shuttered power plants
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By: Tom Kertscher / Wisconsin Watch and Paul Kiefer / Wisconsin Watch This investigation from Wisconsin Watch reveals that utility customers in Wisconsin still owe nearly $1 billion on coal plants that no longer generate electricity. As new energy demands from proposed data centers loom, the concern is clear: will households and small businesses once again be left…

Data Centers Are Coming and Utility Customers Could Pay the Price
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By: Teri Barr | Civic Media Citizens Utility Board Executive Director Tom Content warns energy demands from AI-driven data centers could double electricity use in parts of Wisconsin and raises questions about transparency and who foots the bill Read the Article

We Energies plans $5.5 billion in new energy projects as data center demand grows
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By: Francesca Pica | Milwaukee Journal Sentinel We Energies filed a flurry of applications to build more than $5.5 billion in new energy projects to meet Wisconsin’s rising energy demand, largely fueled by data center projects. Read the Article  

$1.4B transmission line project proposed for Port Washington data center
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By: Evan Casey | Wisconsin Public Radio WPR reports that a $1.4 billion transmission line project is being proposed to serve a massive data center in Port Washington—one that could consume as much electricity as a mid-size city. CUB Executive Director Tom Content notes that the cost would be passed on to utility customers across…

Data centers have sprung up across Wisconsin creating odd political fault lines | Opinion
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By: Kristin Brey | Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Data centers may not spark the same emotions as abortion or taxes, and the policy positions won’t track neatly along red vs. blue lines, but they reveal a deeper debate. Read the Opinion Article