ATC reapplies to build a more than $2B transmission project serving Port Washington data center

American Transmission Co. (ATC) has resubmitted a revised application to the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC) for a transmission project exceeding $2 billion. This project, known as the Ozaukee County Distribution Interconnection Project, is crucial for supplying power to Oracle's data center campus in Port Washington. The initial application's "completeness" determination was revoked by the PSC last month due to numerous revisions, making it difficult for public and official review.

Jared Winters, ATC's executive vice president and chief assets officer, stated that the company "substantially improved" the application based on feedback, resulting in an updated project design and power line routes across six counties: Fond du Lac, Calumet, Manitowoc, Ozaukee, Sheboygan, and Washington. The project's cost is estimated between $2.48 billion and $2.72 billion. Tom Content, executive director of the Citizens Utility Board of Wisconsin, highlighted the project's massive scale, noting Oracle's data center could require up to 3,500 megawatts, equivalent to 35 steel mills.

A significant portion of the cost, approximately $1.1 billion, is allocated to a system at a Decker substation designed to stabilize the grid against Oracle's fluctuating electricity demand. Oracle is reportedly funding this system to ensure no costs are passed to other customers, though the final billing will be determined by federal energy regulators. Content emphasized the importance of federal oversight by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to ensure data centers are correctly billed for associated costs.