Jan 24, 2026 | Posted by Abdul-Rahman Oladimeji
Wisconsin lawmakers have passed a bill that aims to protect ratepayers from cost increases tied to data center expansion. The Wisconsin State Assembly passed AB 840 by a vote of 53-44.
The bill sets out several protections for ratepayers, including preventing data center operators from passing their energy costs onto residential consumers and requiring data centers to pay for their own generation and transmission infrastructure, stopping ratepayers from subsidizing the infrastructure.
Reaction amongst Wisconsin lawmakers was mixed. Zimmerman stated: “Data centers are becoming a foundational component of today’s economy. They are essential in powering the Internet, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and mobile communications.
“However, it has become clear that we must strike a balance that protects affordability for ratepayers. My bill protects Wisconsin families by ensuring that data centers pay their own way.”
