MADISON – The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC) today took up Alliant Energy’s Electric Service Agreement application to serve a data center in Beaver Dam and issued a decision that protects existing customers and improves public transparency and visibility.

In general, utility tariffs set the rates, terms, and conditions of service utilities provide to customers within their service territory. When a utility wants to create a new tariff or enter into an Electric Service Agreement with a specific customer under an existing tariff, it must receive PSC approval to do so because the PSC regulates electric, gas, and water utilities in Wisconsin. The Commission does not regulate the permitting, construction, or operations of data center facilities.

Alliant Energy’s existing Individual Contract Rate Tariff requires the utility to submit an Electric Service Agreement application proposing the rates, terms, and conditions of providing service to an individual customer within its service territory. In April 2025, Alliant Energy submitted an application seeking PSC approval of an Electric Service Agreement.

The PSC undertook a comprehensive review of Alliant Energy’s Electric Service Agreement application, which included detailed analysis by PSC staff and intervening parties, and a robust public engagement process. Of note, in February 2026, the PSC’s Administrative Law Judge directed Alliant Energy to refile its application and other related documents with fewer redactions to ensure greater public transparency in this proceeding. In consideration of newly unredacted information becoming available, the public comment period was extended to accommodate for additional feedback.

In its decision today, the Commission modified the Electric Service Agreement. The following is a non-exhaustive list of improvements the Commission made:

  • The Commission strengthened the proposed termination charge, further protecting existing customers if the data center customer leaves.
  • The Commission ordered additional reporting requirements to provide visibility into how the contract works in practice and created a mechanism for the Commission to make future adjustments if needed.
  • The Commission imposed appropriate financial safeguard protections.
  • The PSC required the data center customer to contribute to the statewide energy efficiency and renewable energy program.
  • The Commission approved Renewable Energy Procurement Agreements for the data center customer to utilize renewable energy resources.

In anticipation of additional data center customers entering Alliant Energy’s service territory, the Commission ordered the utility to file a stand-alone large load tariff that these future data center customers would be required to take service under. This eliminates the potential for a piecemeal approach, increases transparency and visibility, and ensures that necessary protections to safeguard existing customers are in place.

The Commission discussed this case during its May 7, 2026 open meeting. A full recording of the open meeting is available on the PSC’s YouTube channel. Below are public statements made by commissioners during the open meeting:

“Transparency is not a cliché, feel-good, bare minimum, check-the-box concept. If there is one takeaway from our discussion and decisions today, let it be that whether you are a large load customer coming into Wisconsin for the first time, or a regulated entity familiar with our process, transparency—actual and real, is a foundational expectation, a non-negotiable, to our regulatory construct.” said PSC Chairperson Summer Strand.  

“Alliant needs standard guidelines and rules for its data center customers. A clear, public tariff would create consistent, transparent rates and rules for future data centers instead of handling each one through separate confidential negotiations,” said PSC Commissioner Kristy Nieto.

“We go to great lengths to make our process as open and transparent as possible, and it’s still understandably difficult for the public to track, understand, and engage with the complex cases before the commission. So, speed and unnecessary secrecy further disadvantage the public, and I’m proud this commission did not accept either of those,” said PSC Commissioner Marcus Hawkins.

Background on Docket 6680-TE-115

In April 2025, Alliant Energy submitted an application seeking approval of an Electric Service Agreement under its Individual Contract Rate tariff. The Alliant Energy application is different than the We Energies tariff application taken up by the Commission at its April 24, 2026, open meeting. The We Energies tariff created a uniform set of rates, terms, and conditions that all data center customers would take utility service under. Unlike the We Energies application, the Alliant Energy application sought approval of a single Electric Service Agreement to serve one customer under Alliant Energy’s existing Individual Contract Rate tariff that has been in place since 2000. 

All documents related to this proceeding are available under Docket 6680-TE-115 on the PSC’s Electronic Records Filing (ERF) System. The Commission’s Final Order will be posted to ERF in the coming weeks once it’s available.  

Background on the PSC

The PSC is a quasi-judicial body composed of three full-time Commissioners who make decisions in cases related to utility operations, rates, and construction projects. In each case, the Commissioners are responsible for independently reviewing the application and the full record of evidence, analyzing and weighing the evidence, and ultimately reaching a decision that complies with state law. 

The PSC regulates the electric, gas, and water utilities that are obligated to provide service to customers, including data centers, located in their service territories. The PSC has no direct regulatory oversight of the development or operations of data centers and does not grant permits to construct or operate data centers in Wisconsin. Additional information about the PSC and data centers is available at The Public Service Commission and Data Centers.

Disclaimer

This document is being made available to assist in the reporting of the Public Service Commission’s decisions and ensure public transparency of PSC proceedings. This document provides an overview of the preliminary decision(s) verbally made in the Public Service Commission’s open meeting. This document is not intended to modify, supplement, or be a substitute for the Commission’s orders. The Commission’s Final Order is the official action of the Commission and will be available in the coming weeks.

An online version of this release is available here.