Energy

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Power- and water-hungry data centers will use enormous and unprecedented amounts of energy. Instead of saying no to these proposed data centers, or fueling them with clean energy, our utilities are recruiting Big Tech to Wisconsin and asking permission to build new gas plants to make Wisconsinites to pay for them.

Join us in pushing back against new gas plants and advocating for transparency, strong regulations, and clean energy.  With energy bills already skyrocketing, Wisconsin already seeing the impacts of climate change, and threats of fossil fuels on Wisconsin’s water, we can not allow new gas plants in Wisconsin.

Some of the proposals include:

• Foundry Ridge Gas Plant in Darien- a 300mw gas plant proposed in southeast Wisconsin.  This plant and the Red Oak Ridge Plant (below) is facing scrutiny because of the health impacts. A report by the Climate Solutions for Health Lab at the University of Wisconsin-Madison found that these plants would lead to higher particulate matter and premature deaths. 
• Red Oak Ridge Gas Plant in Paris- This massive 1,100mw (that’s a big plant!) proposed gas plant in Paris, Wisconsin, where there is already a lot of gas infrastructure being built. Despite concerns about the plant, the Trump Administration is fast-tracking the approval. We have filed a lawsuit to stop this fast-tracking. 
• Calumet Gas Plant- Little is known about the plant, but Invenergy has begun making plans to build another 1,200mw gas plant in Calumet County. 

These proposals are in addition to the South Oak Creek and Paris Gas plants that are under construction in the southeastern part of the state. That’s almost 4GW--that’s enough electricity to power about 3 million average homes. To put that in context, Wisconsin only has 2.84 million homes. In addition to these new plants, 4 coal plants in Wisconsin (two that were scheduled to be shut down) are converting to gas. These gas plants are threatening our water, our health, and climate change in order to fuel data centers here in Wisconsin.

73% of Wisconsin’s annual water usage already goes to fossil fuel and nuclear plants. Foundry Ridge will use up to 55,152 gallons per day, and the Red Oak Ridge will use up to 335,000 gallons/day. Fresh clean water should be reserved as drinking water for all Wisconsinites and shouldn’t be used to operate new fossil fuel plants that will already be detrimental to our health and climate. 

Public hearings have been scheduled for the Foundry Ridge and Red Oak Ridge Gas Plants and the comment period for those gas plants is open. Scroll down for those dates and links.

Resources to learn more:

• Higher energy bills: A report by GridLab found that using gas to power data centers exposes all Wisconsin ratepayers to “volatile natural gas prices”, potentially increasing electricity bills with the increased demand for the data center infrastructure.
• More air pollution and more deaths: A report by the Climate Solutions for Health Lab at the University of Wisconsin-Madison found that the air pollution from the proposed gas plants could lead to more than 100 premature deaths.
• More secrecy: A report by the Union of Concerned Scientists found that to power data centers, utilities are taking advantage of a regulatory loophole to develop new fossil fuels without meaningful public input or scrutiny.
• More trickery: The United States Senate Committee on the Budget found that the oil and gas industry created a strategy to call gas a ‘bridge fuel; between coal and cleaner, renewable energy, while enmeshing natural gas in the U.S. energy economy for the long-term”
• Water loss: According to the Environmental Impact Statements created for the gas plants, the plants would use up to 21,097,584 gallons of water a day.

What are these plants for anyway? According to the permit applications, these gas plants are for the exclusive use of data centers. Data centers profit while the public experiences increased water use, air and climate pollution, etc.

Join Us: Webinar and Prep Session

Monday, July 13, 2026; 6:00 PM

Join us as we go over the highlights of the proposal and the concerns, and help you prepare to testify at the hearings.

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Speak Out: Hearing on Foundry Ridge Plant in Darien

Thursday, July 16, 2026; 2:00 and 6:00 PM, online and in-person

The Public Service Commission is seeking input on whether to give grants to build the gas plant. Attend online or in-person to testify.

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Speak Out: Hearing on Red Oak Ridge Plant in Paris

Thursday, July 23, 2026; 2:00 and 6:00 PM, online and in-person

The Public Service Commission is seeking input on whether to give grants to build the gas plant. Attend online or in person to testify.

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Join Us: Dark Skies, Bright Future

Wed, July 29, 2026; 6:30 PM

Join us online for a fun evening to celebrate the grassroots advocacy of the Wisconsin Chapter and explore how our work matters to the parts of our environment that come alive at night.

From light pollution to warming night temps and nocturnal critters, the impact of our work stretches around the clock. We’ll take a look at some of those connections, play trivia and explore some of Wisconsin’s special places at night, during our Dark Skies, Bright Future program.

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Why it Matters

100% clean energy will dramatically improve public health. The burning of fossil fuels, like gas and coal, lead to water and air pollution. This leads to respiratory problems, cancer, and numerous other health issues. A transition to clean energy means the same benefits that fossil fuels give us, like electricity, without the air and water pollution.
100% clean energy will lead to more jobs, boosting our economy and providing family-sustaining jobs. In fact, Wisconsin is home to a robust and growing clean energy economy. There are more jobs in Wisconsin in clean energy generation than in electric generation from fossil fuels.

Clean energy is less expensive than fossil fuels, and it's home-grown. Wisconsin has great resources for wind and solar energy right here, and we will soon have the Midwest’s largest solar farm in Cobb, WI!

Switching to 100% clean energy will allow us to lower emissions that exacerbate climate change. The burning of fossil fuels adds carbon dioxide and methane, two major greenhouse gasses, into the atmosphere. These gases trap in heat and warm our planet. Climate change is already harming marginalized communities around the globe and will eventually lead to catastrophic damage to ecosystems, lands, and livelihoods.

A 100% clean energy future is possible -- if we build the political will and our legislators pass strong clean energy today. Your action can make a brighter future possible.