ATC restarts push for grid upgrades serving Port Washington data center
American Transmission Company (ATC) has refiled an application for a $1.3 billion grid upgrade project in eastern Wisconsin to connect a new data center in Port Washington. This comes after the Wisconsin Public Service Commission (PSC) ordered ATC to restart the process due to repeated design changes that created public confusion. The project aims to reliably serve the data center by December 2027.
The American Transmission Company (ATC) has resubmitted an application to the Wisconsin Public Service Commission (PSC) for extensive grid upgrades in eastern Wisconsin. This action reinitiates the state's six-month review of a crucial project designed to connect a new data center in Port Washington to the electrical grid.
ATC, Wisconsin's primary transmission utility, initially filed for approval last September, proposing a $1.3 billion infrastructure package. This plan included a high-voltage transmission line and five new substations across Fond du Lac, Ozaukee, Sheboygan, and Washington counties, all necessary to ensure reliable power for the data center by December 2027. However, the PSC mandated a restart last month, citing ATC's frequent project design adjustments that obscured public understanding of the proposal. PSC Environmental Affairs Coordinator Adam Ingwell noted the unprecedented volume of revisions without adequate explanation, making it difficult for the public to track information.
Amid these regulatory hurdles, ATC has emphasized the urgent need for this buildout to support the growing demand from data centers. The company is part of a utility coalition advocating for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to accelerate regional transmission projects for data centers by suspending competitive bidding, arguing that bureaucratic delays pose a national security risk in the global AI race.