Wisconsin's 600-Acre AI Data Center: What Builders, Developers, and Landowners Need to Know
In Saukville, Wisconsin, 83-year-old landscape painter Tom Uttech received a letter that could rewrite his property. A proposed 300-foot transmission line may cross his 52-acre prairie-land he's shaped by hand for nearly four decades-to feed a 600-acre, $15 billion AI data center campus in nearby Port Washington.
The project sits at the center of a national build-out: bigger data halls, heavier loads, and a rush to secure power. It also puts eminent domain, rate impacts, and community benefits on the table-topics every real estate and construction pro will face more often.
The project at a glance
- Scale: ~600 acres (500+ football fields), multi-billion-dollar investment tied to the federal Stargate initiative with OpenAI and Oracle.
- Power: New high-voltage transmission line under review; American Transmission Company (ATC) has a "preferred" and a "preferred alternative" route.
- Operator: Vantage says it supports the alternative route along existing lines and pledges "no increase" to local electric bills.
- Energy mix: Oracle says 70% zero-emission sources, ~2,000 MW of new zero-emission power planned for Wisconsin's grid; both firms say they'll "pay their own way."
- Local stance: Port Washington's mayor backs the project for jobs and tax base; community groups protest eminent domain and potential bill impacts.
Why this matters to real estate and construction
Data centers are changing the math on land use, infrastructure sequencing, and delivery risk. A single campus can draw as much electricity as a large city, putting the grid, schedules, and neighborhoods under pressure.
- Land control meets grid control: Site success now hinges on transmission, substation capacity, and interconnection timelines as much as zoning and soil.
- Community friction: Easements, viewsheds, noise, and traffic create political risk that can stall or redirect routes.
- Cost pass-through debate: Developers promise to shoulder grid upgrades; residents fear higher bills. Clear agreements matter.
Eminent domain and right-of-way: How it typically plays out
ATC proposes routes; the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC) selects the final path. Owners along the corridor negotiate easements, access, and compensation. If no agreement is reached, condemnation can proceed under state law as a last resort.
- Key decision-maker: Public Service Commission of Wisconsin.
- Compensation isn't just land value: Think easement scope, construction damages, crop loss, timber, access, and restoration.
- Documentation wins: Photos, appraisals, and environmental records strengthen negotiation leverage.
Developer and GC playbook
- Interconnection first: Lock in queue position; expect 18-36 months for studies. Align phasing with utility upgrade lead times.
- Hardware reality: Large transformers, switchgear, and HV gear carry 12-36 month lead times. Pre-purchase critical path items.
- Route strategy: Co-locate with existing corridors when possible. It reduces impacts and public pushback.
- Easement templates: Standardize clauses on access, laydown, structure placement, vegetation management, restoration, and indemnity.
- Water and cooling: Verify water rights, discharge permits, and alternatives (air-cooled, hybrid, recycled water).
- Supply chain and labor: Secure EPC bandwidth; plan for peak craft demand and specialized HV subcontractors.
- Permitting calendar: Environmental surveys (avian, wetlands), cultural reviews, and seasonal windows can shift the schedule.
For brokers and landowners near proposed corridors
- Ask for the alternative: Route along existing lines, road ROWs, or property edges to reduce impact.
- Define the footprint: Specify tower locations, access roads, and clearing limits in the easement.
- Get full compensation: Beyond land value-include temporary construction impacts, business loss, and replanting or reseeding.
- Control the clock: Set construction windows, notice requirements, and restoration deadlines.
- Protect resale: Secure indemnity, insurance, and maintenance standards; clarify transferability and assignment.
Community benefits that actually move the needle
- Bill protection: Written commitments that grid upgrades are developer-funded and not ratepayer-financed.
- Host community agreements: Annual payments, workforce training, and infrastructure investments tied to milestones.
- Renewables that count: Onsite or contracted capacity that's additional, local where feasible, and timed with load growth.
- Traffic and noise plans: Construction routing, curfews, and monitoring reduce friction during build.
Schedule and risk markers
- Interconnection studies: 18-36 months; earlier if upgrades are minimal, longer if new substations are needed.
- Substation/transmission upgrades: 24-48 months depending on complexity and right-of-way challenges.
- Major equipment lead times: 12-36 months for large transformers and HV gear; order early.
- Litigation risk: Route challenges and eminent domain disputes can add 6-18 months.
Numbers behind the pressure
Electricity prices climbed in 2025, with analysts citing data centers as a key driver of demand growth. For context on supply, demand, and pricing trends, review the U.S. Energy Information Administration's electricity data.
Where this leaves Port Washington-and you
Local leaders see jobs and a stronger tax base. Residents worry about bills, views, and property rights. Uttech's fight over a transmission corridor captures what's at stake when speed to build meets land that people care about.
For real estate and construction pros, treat energy as a primary constraint, not an afterthought. Secure power early, build optionality into routes and schedules, and put community benefits in writing.
Further resources
"They brought the fight to me and I'm not going to just roll over," Uttech said. Whether the final line follows the existing corridor or cuts new ground will decide whose plans hold. Either way, the playbook above will help you prepare for the next project like this-because there will be a next one.
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