TUE AM News: Alliant exec cautions county leaders on rejecting data centers; ‘UpFront’ dives into Wisconsin Rapids data center controversy

September 22, 2026

— The head of Alliant Energy’s Wisconsin energy company urged county government leaders to “be careful you understand what you’re saying no to” amid the public backlash to data center development in the state.

Becky Valcq, the utility’s vice president of energy delivery and a former chair of the state Public Service Commission, yesterday addressed members of the Wisconsin Counties Association during the group’s annual conference.

Even as many local governments in the state hit pause on new data centers through moratoriums and residents voice concerns about the massive projects driving up energy costs and impacting natural resources, Valcq argued the data center wave is both inevitable and a boon for Wisconsin’s energy infrastructure.

“They’re already here,” she said. “They’re going to continue to come. The question then turns to, how do we make sure that their arrival benefits Wisconsin residents the most. That’s the way we should be looking at it.”

She said Alliant Energy will take an aggressive approach to pursuing “all types” of customers.

“We want them. We want them here yesterday, because we want to see growth,” Valcq said.

While Valcq said she’s not speaking in defense of any energy customers in particular, she went on to say the large load customers paying for new infrastructure such as substations benefits “everybody” as well as the energy grid itself.

“The grid is becoming harder, it’s becoming more resilient, but that cost is being picked up by the large load customer,” she said. “That’s why, for us at Alliant Energy, we view it as a potential gamechanger.”

She noted major tech companies behind these projects are currently racing one another, but added “at some point that race is going to end” and they’ll be done building data centers. But for now, these businesses are focused on where they can secure the power they need for these projects as fast as possible.

Valcq reiterated Alliant’s commitment to forcing large load customers to pay for all the new infrastructure needed to deliver their power.

She referenced the utility’s agreement with Meta, which is building a $1 billion AI data center in Beaver Dam, noting the social media site operator will be paying Alliant more than what it costs to serve the business following rate negotiations.

“To the extent that Alliant can bring in revenues in excess of our costs, those revenues go back into our system,” she said. “They go back to help us decrease the number of rate increases that we seek from the commission.”

She also mentioned concerns being voiced about data center impacts on renewable energy development, given that some utilities are advancing natural gas projects to meet higher expected energy demand linked to these projects. Instead, Valcq argued many “hyperscalers” are interested in forming agreements with locals that actually offset their energy consumption, pointing to negotiations between developer QTS and DeForest.

While the company’s plans for a data center ultimately fell through, it had initially discussed the possibility of building enough solar energy installations in DeForest to offset all residents’ energy consumption, according to Valcq. She noted the company is now looking at potential sites in Iowa.

“It’s an opportunity to utilize a customer that has vast resources, to be able to pay for infrastructure improvements that ultimately, everybody on our system stands to benefit from,” she said.

Watch the video.

— Wisconsin Rapids Mayor Matt Zacher said he backs a one-year moratorium on data center construction amid growing controversy in the city surrounding a proposal to build one on the city’s old paper mill site.

“The problem I see in this situation is that we are acting reactively,” Zacher said on WISN 12’s “UpFront,” which is produced in partnership with WisPolitics. “We don’t know how to be proactive necessarily because nobody’s really ever done this; there’s no playbook on this.”

Last week, the city’s plan commission unanimously rejected a conditional use permit from New York-based PNK Group, which is proposing the 200-acre data center on the city’s old paper mill site. The recommendation is now before the full City Council alongside a separate proposal for a one-year data center moratorium.

“They kind of throw it in our lap,” Zacher said. “They know that we’re unqualified. .. (A)m I really qualified for this high level of a situation and negotiation and trying to figure this stuff out? And I think if the data centers were really being super real and fair about what’s happening, they would back off. They would give us some time.”

The city’s plan commission heard more than three hours of public comment last week on the proposal. A majority of speakers opposed the data center, including GOP state Rep. Scott Krug, who represents Wisconsin Rapids.

“It’s nothing against anybody in the trades,” Krug said. “There will be other projects, and we will get a chance to use that local labor and make sure that the IBEW and the electric workers and pipefitters and the steamfitters and all the guys who lost their jobs at the mill are going to have a chance in Wisconsin Rapids again. But it’s not going to be this one.”

See more from the show.

— The state Department of Justice says Wisconsin consumers will receive nearly $11 million as part of a settlement with one of the nation’s largest auto finance companies.

The deal with Credit Acceptance Corporation — which totals $694 million nationwide — includes about $218,319 for the state.

Consumers will get $959,988 in restitution and more than $10 million in debt relief.

The multistate suit accused Credit Acceptance Corporation of providing loans to those with limited or impaired credit histories that the company knew or should have known consumers could not afford.

See the release.

— U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin is urging the head of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to investigate conditions at the Tomah VA Medical Center, referencing reports of “severe lapses” in patient care at the hospital.

The Madison Dem sent a letter to VA Secretary Doug Collins expressing “grave concern regarding serious allegations” about the treatment of veterans at the medical center, noting employees there reached out to her office to raise these issues.

Baldwin’s office says it received reports of inadequate staffing contributing to falls as well as injuries, patients choking on food and more. The release also notes a Tomah VA nurse was charged with abuse after a veteran patient in hospice allegedly had oxygen withheld “on purpose” and later died.

In the letter, Baldwin wrote the reports are “specific and alarming,” noting patients in hospice care are among the most vulnerable in the VA system.

“They also raise particularly troubling concerns about the care of hospice patients, including inadequate provider coverage and delays in ensuring that seriously ill veterans receive medications necessary for comfort and end-of-life care,” she wrote.

While Baldwin says she’s requested the VA Office of the Inspector General conduct an independent investigation, she says the VA system can’t wait for its findings before taking action.

She’s asking Collins to direct the Veterans Health Administration and Veterans Integrated Service Network to conduct a full review of staffing levels, provider coverage, medication delays, hospice care and patient safety.

“To be clear, this review should not rely on assurances from leadership at the Tomah VA,” she wrote.

The VA’s Office of Public Affairs didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment from the Tomah hospital leadership.

See the release.

For more of the most relevant health care news, reports on groundbreaking research in Wisconsin, links to top stories and more, sign up today for the free daily Health Care Report from WisPolitics and WisBusiness.com.

Sign up here.

— The USDA has announced $800,000 in grant funding for four expansion projects at farms in Wisconsin.

The agency yesterday rolled out details for the round of Value-Added Producer Grants, each of which aims to boost revenues for recipients while also creating several jobs.

GW Organics in East Troy is getting $200,000 for efforts to reach new markets with its pasteurized beef and poultry, which are expected to boost its customer base by 1,118 and increase revenue by about $350,000. It’s also expected to save two jobs, according to the agency.

Lush Farms in New Berlin is also getting $200,000, which it will use to expand its sales of worm castings — nutrient-rich earthworm droppings — as a soil additive. The project is expected to add nine customers, boost revenue by about $850,000 and create one job.

Driftless Seed Company in Soldiers Grove will use its $200,000 grant to expand its organic specialty crop seeds business for Midwest growers. USDA says the project will expand its customer base, without providing further details, while also creating four jobs.

Finally, B&E’s Trees in Viroqua will put the $200,000 grant towards expanding shipments of its maple syrup energy products to new customers. The effort aims to expand the company’s customer base by 7,698 while increasing revenue by $450,000. It’s also expected to create two jobs and save two more.

How Epic turns America’s health data into answers

Generac says it’s building capacity to fulfill multibillion-dollar Amazon pact

TOPICS

AGRIBUSINESS

– Major soybean processing plant planned in Wisconsin

CONSTRUCTION

– Milwaukee Mackie Building foreclosure suit dismissed

HEALTH CARE

– Baldwin calls for investigation into Tomah VA after hospice nurse faces patient abuse charges

– New MCW leader Shekar Kurpad outlines vision for next chapter

LABOR