Opinion | Turnout shows residents want a say in data center decisions

Over 400 Wisconsin residents gathered at a community town hall in Juneau to address the rapid expansion of AI data centers and the massive infrastructure required to power them. The event, which included Wisconsin comedian and journalist Charlie Berens, energy experts, local residents, and community leaders, highlighted frustrations over rising electricity bills and the desire for transparency and a voice in major infrastructure decisions. The discussions were prompted by ongoing construction at the 350-plus-acre Beaver Dam Commerce Park, where a new Meta data center is being built, and two other proposed projects in southeastern Wisconsin that alone request nearly four gigawatts of electricity—more than all Wisconsin households currently use. Residents, while not anti-development, are concerned that the costs for necessary power plants, substations, and transmission lines could be spread across all customers through future rate increases rather than being fully borne by the tech companies driving the demand. The event, organized through 'Building Community Power from the Frontlines' led by Sarah Zarling, aimed to empower residents to engage constructively on energy affordability and utility accountability. In response to these concerns, the Clean Economy Coalition of Wisconsin released a Data Center Accountability Framework. Co-founded by John Imes, who is also the village president of Shorewood Hills, the framework advocates for data center developers to cover the full costs of energy infrastructure, prioritize clean energy solutions, and enter into community benefit agreements. It also stresses the importance of community involvement in decisions regarding land use, water, and utility costs, ensuring growth is transparent and responsible. This initiative underscores a broader statewide effort to manage data center expansion without disproportionately burdening local households and businesses.