AB 840, the partisan Data Center bill that passed today in the Assembly, makes a bad problem worse for Wisconsin families and communities.
While the bill claims to protect ratepayers, its approach does just the opposite. There is nothing in this bill that holds data centers, Big Tech or utilities accountable and ensures consumers aren’t charged for massive data center development.
In fact, the bill limits where the cheapest, fastest energy can be built to serve data centers. Putting new barriers in the way of renewable development is ideological, not practical, and drives utility bills higher — hurting consumers.
The bill simply fails to make data centers pay the full costs of what they’re proposing. It does not protect customers from additional expenses like transmission lines and system upgrades, leaving Wisconsin families and small businesses on the hook. Without stronger protections, massive long-term costs will be shifted to consumers – especially if data center operators leave the state before these investments are paid off.
Wisconsin needs a comprehensive data center accountability framework to protect consumers and our climate. Our Coalition of more than 50 members will be proposing such a framework soon, giving policymakers a clear roadmap to manage large-scale data center growth without sacrificing public health, affordability and clean energy goals.
