MADISON, WI – The Wisconsin State Assembly met on January 20 to approve legislation that regulate data centers.
“Data centers are here to stay, with more to come, due to the increasing need and reliance on technology,” State Rep. Dave Armstrong (R-Rice Lake) said. “However, the Legislature has a responsibility to Wisconsin residents to ensure that new centers are good neighbors that won’t drive up local energy bills or waste water.”
Assembly Bill 840, as amended by Assembly Substitute Amendment 1, imposes several regulations on large data centers – defined as having an information-technology load of more than 20 gigawatt-hours of electricity consumption or 100 megawatts of electrical demand – going forward.
Under the amended bill, the Public Service Commission must ensure that a large data center’s utility costs are not shifted to other customers. AB 840 also requires that renewable energy facilities serving large data centers be onsite and that water used for cooling purposes be contained in a closed-loop system or another system that uses as much or less water.
In addition, AB 840 requires large data centers to report their water use to the Department of Natural Resources, and to file bonds with DNR to cover any reclamation costs.
The Assembly also passed updates to Wisconsin worker’s compensation and unemployment insurance systems that had been approved by advisory committees composed of labor and management representatives.
These proposals and others – including labeling requirements and other restrictions for lab-grown meat – will now go to the Senate for further consideration.
Last Update: Jan 21, 2026 9:13 am CST
