Wisconsin utility regulators expect 40% spike in energy demand by 2032
Wisconsin utility regulators predict a 40% surge in peak energy demand by 2032, primarily driven by the state's data center expansion. Three active data center projects, including one owned by Microsoft in Mount Pleasant, are expected to account for over 72% of this increase. Utilities are planning new natural gas and renewable power plants to meet the anticipated demand.
The Wisconsin Public Service Commission (PSC) recently released its draft Strategic Energy Assessment, forecasting a substantial 40% increase in peak energy demand by 2032. This projection, which sees peak load growing from approximately 14.2 gigawatts in 2026 to over 20 GW by 2032, represents a significant jump from the 14.8% increase projected in 2024.
The PSC report explicitly attributes this "outsized impact" on the state's energy landscape to data center development, with about 72% of the projected 5.8 GW increase linked to three active data center projects in Beaver Dam, Port Washington, and Mount Pleasant. Microsoft's data center in Mount Pleasant recently became operational, contributing to this heightened demand.
To address the expected energy deficit, Wisconsin's electric providers have reported plans to add approximately 14,200 MW of new capacity, including 5,400 MW of new natural gas facilities, 5,175 MW of solar energy, and 1,370 MW of wind power. This new generation aims to offset planned retirements of about 1,100 MW of existing in-state generation. The report, however, did not detail the potential impact of these changes on consumer power bills, though it noted that Wisconsin's residential energy charges are already higher than Midwest and national averages.