EAU CLAIRE, Wis.- June 22, 2026 — Xcel Energy today filed a proposal with the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin, establishing transparent rules ensuring that any new large electric customers pay 100% of the cost needed to serve them. If approved as filed, Xcel Energy’s proposal would ensure that these potential customers, including any new large data centers, would not raise the bills of any of the company’s current or future customers.

“We recognize the growing energy needs of large customers, including data centers, and the important role they play in driving economic growth and innovation in Wisconsin. At the same time, it’s critical that growth is managed in a way that does not raise the rates of customers and supports the communities we serve,” said Karl Hoesly, president of Xcel Energy—Wisconsin and Michigan. “Together, these provisions establish firm and transparent eligibility rules and long‑term commitments that allows any necessary infrastructure to be planned and built responsibly.”

The proposal would apply to new customers or significant load expansions of 100 megawatts (MW) or greater and includes multiple safeguards to protect existing and future customers:

  • Long‑term commitments: New large electric customers would be subject to binding 15-year commitments, supported by strong financial security provisions to ensure long-term benefits for communities.
  • Exit fees: If a customer ends operations early all remaining costs will be recovered. 
  • Minimum monthly payments: Will be required for these customers.  

The proposal provides transparency while supporting good-paying construction and skilled-trade jobs necessary to build and maintain new electric infrastructure according to labor and community leaders.

“These large projects need to create real value for Wisconsin workers and Wisconsin communities,” said Robb Kahl, executive director, Construction Business Group. “That means good-paying union jobs, strong local hiring and infrastructure investment and ongoing costs that are paid for by these large energy users — not shifted onto working families. Done right, this means more jobs, more economic activity and a stronger tax base. Xcel Energy’s proposal helps make sure these projects are done right.”

“Today, more than ever, communities, schools and technical colleges in western Wisconsin need a much stronger business tax base in order to continue to provide the quality of services residents have come to expect,” said Steve Jahn, executive director, Momentum West Wisconsin. “Xcel Energy’s proposal would ensure that customers would not be burdened with any increase in electric costs as communities evaluate the benefits of new large electric customers such as heavy manufacturing operations, industrial plants, or even potentially data center developments.”

“We are encouraged by the rigorous regulatory review process by which the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin has evaluated data center tariff proposals by Wisconsin’s utilities to ensure that other electric customers are not paying for costs caused by data centers in their rates,” said Kristin Gilkes, executive director of the Customers First Coalition. “We are confident that the Public Service Commission’s review of Xcel Energy’s large load tariff filing will be just as rigorous and come to the same conclusion that other customers should not be paying a single cent towards the cost of providing power to new data centers.”

A copy of the company’s filing can be found on the PSCW’s website link here.