TUE AM News: Data centers top of mind for key WI industry leaders; ThedaCare opens new Oshkosh hospital

January 20, 2026

— Data centers are top of mind for key Wisconsin industry leaders, as the new developments make waves in construction, manufacturing and other sectors.

The topic featured prominently in the Wisconsin Bankers Association’s 2026 Wisconsin Economic Report, which includes perspectives from the heads of other business groups in the state.

That includes Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce President and CEO Kurt Bauer, who argued building new data centers is both “a good deal for Wisconsin” and necessary for U.S. competitiveness.

“Data centers built elsewhere also provide a major injection into the local property tax base and operators have proven to be good corporate citizens,” he wrote.

The proposed data center projects are also expected to employ hundreds of employees once complete, ranging from engineers to IT technicians and other staff. That’s in addition to the thousands of construction jobs needed to build the massive projects, Bauer noted.

That construction impact was echoed by Robb Kahl, executive director of Construction Business Group, who says data centers have “emerged as a major growth engine” in Wisconsin and elsewhere. He noted the $3.3 billion data center project near Mount Pleasant broke ground in 2024, supporting thousands of union construction jobs.

“These projects also bring demand for supporting infrastructure like energy, water and sewer, fiber-optic networks, and transportation,” Kahl wrote. “That diversification should help cushion against slowdowns in any single market segment in 2026.”

Kahl is urging policymakers to “lean into” further data center development.

But challenges remain for data centers in Wisconsin, ranging from concerns about environmental impacts and related energy cost increases to local pushback leading to some projects getting cancelled, Bauer noted.

He argued water usage concerns are “overstated” as most projects will use closed-loop systems that require little water input. And he said reliable electricity is one of Wisconsin’s best selling points for the tech companies seeking to open data centers in the state.

“More infrastructure may be needed, but the data center boom will necessarily encourage important modernization of Wisconsin’s electrical grid by improving and expanding transmission lines and supporting new baseload generation, perhaps including the development of Wisconsin’s first new nuclear power plant since the 1970s,” Bauer wrote.

Meanwhile, former Wisconsin Technology Council President Tom Still said a balanced approach could help ensure energy demands are met amid the state’s data center boom.

He noted the state’s major utilities are “heavily regulated,” making it unlikely for proposals that shift costs to others or harm the environment to be accepted.

“Can enough electricity be generated to satisfy AI’s appetite as well as society’s overall power needs?” he wrote. “With a balanced approach engaging solar, wind, hydro, battery storage, natural gas and — eventually — a rebirth of nuclear power, the answer is a qualified ‘yes.’”

Other industry leader reports focus on trends in agriculture, grocery stores, homebuying and more. See the full economic report from WBA here.

— ThedaCare’s new Oshkosh hospital has begun taking patients, offering a closer location for local residents seeking emergency care and other services.

That’s according to Jenny Nikolai, vice president of ThedaCare Medical Centers – Fond du Lac and Oshkosh. She says the hospital is meant to help address rising demand for health care services in the area.

Most Oshkosh residents live east of I-41, while health care services are largely located west of the interstate, Nikolai notes.

“That historically has left our population on the east side more than 15 minutes away from care that they may need … Providing health care services close to home where over 73% of the population lives and works, allows us to meet their needs more quickly,” she said.

The health system broke ground on the 114,000-square-foot facility in March 2024, and expanded the initial design with an added third floor to prepare for future care needs, according to yesterday’s announcement.

In addition to inpatient and emergency care, the hospital provides outpatient surgery, primary care, pediatrics, specialty care, various imaging services and more. Froedtert ThedaCare says more services may be added over time.

ThedaCare Medical Center-Oshkosh represents an $84 million investment in the area, the release notes. The new hospital created about 60 jobs, and that’s expected to increase as more services are added.

See more in the release.

— Researchers at UW-Madison have created new “libraries” of genetically modified bacteria, which could be used to develop new antibiotics.

The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation recently highlighted the breakthrough as a top licensing prospect in its “clean tech” portfolio. The effort was led by Jason Peters, an associate professor in the university’s pharmacy department.

His team used technology related to transposons, sometimes called “jumping genes,” which are genetic sequences that can change their positions within a genome. By applying this technology to a gene targeting approach, the researchers aimed to create catalogues of modified bacteria with different expressed genes, according to WARF’s overview.

The group says a “comprehensive library” of bacteria with controlled genes could be created with this method.

“These libraries could be valuable tools for creating new antibiotics or genetically modified bacteria for use in the clean technology or agricultural markets,” authors wrote.

See the overview and see more on Peters’ work here.

Top headlines from the Health Care Report…

— U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin is demanding the Trump administration “provide answers” for moving to slash $2 billion for mental health and addiction programs before quickly reversing the decision.

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.

— Gov. Tony Evers has again extended an energy emergency declaration for the state, keeping in place waivers for certain fuel transportation regulations.

The announcement of the latest executive order references ongoing home heating fuel supply issues caused by “pipeline disruption” in the Midwestern system, as well as high demand for heating oil and propane.

“By extending this emergency order, we’re keeping these fuels moving to those who need it and ensuring Wisconsinites remain warm and safe this winter,” Evers said in a statement.

The waiver, which applies to certain state and federal restrictions on hours of service and weight limits, will remain in effect through Feb. 2, or as long as fuel transport drivers are responding to the emergency conditions.

See the release.

Wisconsin consumers are losing money on Ozempic, weight loss drug scams

Wisconsin has its fewest dairy herds in decades — and about the same number of cows

TOPICS

AGRIBUSINESS

– Wisconsin farmers push rural priorities at state lobby day

– WPA and UW Extension announce 2026 Show Pig Symposium

– Farmers are in line for billions of bailout money. Will it be enough to offset losses?

CONSTRUCTION

– Construction on Les Paul Parkway continues in 2026, including 2025 leftovers

– Wisconsin tribes oppose ending protections for roadless areas on national forests

ENVIRONMENT