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Wisconsin utility’s data center–driven gas expansion meets skepticism

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Wisconsin utility’s data center–driven gas expansion meets skepticism


An anticipated data-center boom is driving utility plans for massive natural gas investments in southeastern Wisconsin, raising objections from customer and climate advocates.

Critics say they’ve seen big development plans fail to pan out before, and they don’t want to be stuck paying for overbuilt fossil-fuel generation based on increasingly uncertain growth projections.

Wisconsin Electric Power Co. (WEPCO) says it needs to build new gas generation to power a planned $3.3 billion Microsoft data center near Mount Pleasant. The project is on the site of the failed Foxconn LCD screen factory, a proposed megaproject that President Donald Trump promised during his first term would become the eighth wonder of the world” but that never materialized as planned.

There’s a lot of healthy skepticism because of the Foxconn project never reaching anywhere near the scale that was being touted,” said Tom Content, executive director of the Citizens Utility Board. People are asking, Is this real this time?’”

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Microsoft has already paused construction on the data center as it reevaluates the scope and how recent changes in technology” may affect the project. A Chinese artificial-intelligence company in January announced a major breakthrough that it claims allows it to offer AI services with far less computing power, upending global assumptions about the industry’s electricity demand.

Microsoft is also proposing a data center in nearby Kenosha, and a developer called Cloverleaf Infrastructure is proposing one in nearby Port Washington. But the specifics of these data centers and their energy demand are not confirmed, hence critics say the utility hasn’t demonstrated that demand will increase enough to justify the roughly $2 billion in natural gas investments proposed by We Energies (WEPCO’s trade name). Critics also note that an influx of natural gas power seems to contradict Microsoft’s own climate goals of being carbon-negative by 2030.

We Energies says they want to be ready for other potential customers but has provided no proof of who those customers are or what they want in terms of their energy sourcing,” said Gloria Randall-Hewitt, a resident who spoke at a March 25 hearing held by the Wisconsin Public Service Commission. These projects carry huge price tags in terms of pollution, detrimental health outcomes, and rate increases for customers. They are asking us to just trust them.”

Big bucks for new gas generation

We Energies is looking to build a new five-turbine, 1,100-megawatt gas plant in Oak Creek on the same site as two large coal plants, one of which is closing this year. We Energies also plans to build a 128-MW gas plant in Paris, Wisconsin, 25 miles south of Oak Creek. The utility proposes serving the plants with a new liquefied natural gas storage terminal at the Oak Creek plant site, by Lake Michigan’s shore, and with a new 33-mile pipeline.

The Oak Creek gas plant would go online in 2027 or 2028, the utility says, and cost around $1.3 billion. The Paris plant, made up of seven reciprocating internal combustion engines, could go online next year, at a cost of roughly $300 million. WEPCO needs the storage terminal, which will cost about $520 million, to make sure the plants and residential customers have enough gas, as well as to meet requirements established by the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, which manages the region’s grid, utility spokesperson Brendan Conway said by email. The new pipeline would cost about $210 million.

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The three-member Public Service Commission will decide whether to grant the utility the right to recoup those costs — and a profit — from ratepayers. After overwhelming turnout at the public hearing on Oak Creek, the commission extended the public comment period for the proposed plant through April 7. That was also the deadline for comments on the storage terminal, and the commission completed a comment period for the Paris proposal earlier this winter.

In an April 1 filing before the commission, We Energies said it forecasts 1,800 MW of increased demand in the next five years, and even if only 450 MW of that demand materializes, building the gas plants is the most cost effective way to meet it. Conway said the Oak Creek gas plant would save ratepayers $413 million compared to other alternatives.

But advocates don’t believe that and hope the commission orders the utility to consider other options and do more study.

We understand there needs to be increased energy production to meet that load, but we want to make sure it’s the most cost-competitive suite of options, not just defaulting back to natural gas as a baseline,” said Emma Heins, principal at Advanced Energy United, an industry association representing transmission, generation, and transportation-related companies.

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Wisconsin center Nolan Winter putting up historic efficiency numbers

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Wisconsin center Nolan Winter putting up historic efficiency numbers


Wisconsin Badgers center Nolan Winter is known as an efficient scorer, but few Badgers fans likely realize just how efficient he has been.

According to Sports Reference, Winter owns the best 2-point field goal percentage in the Big Ten since the 1992-93 season, shooting 69% across his three years in Madison. He sits ahead of stars such as Chris Webber, Owen Freeman and Moritz Wagner on the list of all-time leaders. Winter also made 33% of his 3-pointers this season. His efficiency stands out even more as he shifted to center last year, taking over for Steven Crowl after he graduated. The move required Winter to adapt to a more physical role, with the team needing him in the post.In 31 games this season, Winter averaged 13.1 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. If he returns to Wisconsin next season, he could finish his career as one of the most efficient scorers in program history.

If the Badgers retain Winter, expect Greg Gard and his staff to make him a bigger focal point of the offense next season. Given Winter’s scoring ability, it would be hard to justify anything else. The recent addition of Owen Foxwell, a facilitating point guard, could also create more opportunities for Wisconsin’s frontcourt.

Winter’s rise is another point in Gard’s favor. In recent years, he has helped develop players such as Steven Crowl, John Tonje, John Blackwell, AJ Storr and Nick Boyd.

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All clear given by Marquette police following investigation outside Church of the Gesu

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All clear given by Marquette police following investigation outside Church of the Gesu


A stretch of Wisconsin Avenue that travels through Marquette University in Milwaukee is back open Sunday afternoon following a police investigation.

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All clear given by Marquette police following investigation outside Church of the Gesu

A stretch of Wisconsin Avenue that travels through Marquette University in Milwaukee is back open Sunday afternoon following a police investigation.

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VERY NICE. >> THANK YOU EASTER BUNNY. >> THANK YOU. >> SO ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU STEPHANIE. AND BEFORE WE GO, WE WANT TO BRING YOU AN UPDATE TO THAT BREAKING NEWS. WE’VE BEEN FOLLOWING ALL SHOW MARQUETTE. POLICE SAY THE INVESTIGATION OUTSIDE THE CHURCH OF THE GESU HAS RESOLVED. GIVING THE ALL CLEAR

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All clear given by Marquette police following investigation outside Church of the Gesu

A stretch of Wisconsin Avenue that travels through Marquette University in Milwaukee is back open Sunday afternoon following a police investigation.

Updated: 6:09 PM CDT Apr 5, 2026

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An all clear has been given following a police investigation along a stretch of Wisconsin Avenue that travels through the campus of Marquette University in Milwaukee. Late Sunday afternoon, police could be seen focusing on a red Chevy Cruze parked outside the Church of the Gesu, and Wisconsin Avenue was closed between 11th and 13th streets. This was after Marquette University Police issued a safety alert asking people to avoid the area of 12th Street and Wisconsin Avenue.Shortly before 5 p.m., a WISN photojournalist was told by a Milwaukee Police Department officer to move back at the scene due to the bomb squad being called in. A K-9 was spotted smelling the car, as well as both around and inside the church. The K9 didn’t appear to find anything.Milwaukee police left around 5:30 p.m., after Wisconsin Avenue reopened. However, Marquette University police remained outside the church and around the Chevy Cruze. University police said shortly before 6 p.m. the issue had been resolved.12 News has reached out to Milwaukee and Marquette University police for details and will update this article as information becomes available.

An all clear has been given following a police investigation along a stretch of Wisconsin Avenue that travels through the campus of Marquette University in Milwaukee.

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Late Sunday afternoon, police could be seen focusing on a red Chevy Cruze parked outside the Church of the Gesu, and Wisconsin Avenue was closed between 11th and 13th streets. This was after Marquette University Police issued a safety alert asking people to avoid the area of 12th Street and Wisconsin Avenue.

Shortly before 5 p.m., a WISN photojournalist was told by a Milwaukee Police Department officer to move back at the scene due to the bomb squad being called in. A K-9 was spotted smelling the car, as well as both around and inside the church. The K9 didn’t appear to find anything.

Milwaukee police left around 5:30 p.m., after Wisconsin Avenue reopened. However, Marquette University police remained outside the church and around the Chevy Cruze. University police said shortly before 6 p.m. the issue had been resolved.

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12 News has reached out to Milwaukee and Marquette University police for details and will update this article as information becomes available.

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Wisconsin basketball adds SEC opponent to 2026-27 schedule

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Wisconsin basketball adds SEC opponent to 2026-27 schedule


The Wisconsin Badgers men’s basketball team wasted no time scheduling an SEC opponent for the 2026-27 season.

Alex Rosinski confirmed the Badgers will head to Nashville on December 19 to play Auburn, a team competing for the NIT Championship on April 5.

The Tigers were the talk of the town come Selection Sunday with their 17-16 record. Claiming it had the nation’s best win at Florida on January 24, Auburn did everything in its power to talk its way into the NCAA Tournament. Instead, the team had to settle for the NIT.

Auburn has taken care of business against South Alabama, Seattle U, Nevada, and Illinois State en route to the championship game against Tulsa.

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The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel also confirmed Wisconsin’s game against Auburn on December 19 will take place at the Bridgestone Arena. Auburn usually plays its home games at the Neville Arena, which is about a five-hour trip from the home of the Nashville Predators.

Even though Wisconsin is coming off a disappointing tournament loss, Greg Gard isn’t messing around. This is yet another high-profile non-conference game he’s added to the team’s schedule. For what it’s worth, this is only the second all-time meeting between these two teams.

Contact/Follow@TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page onFacebook to follow ongoing coverage of WisconsinBadgers news, notes and opinion.





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