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Dive Brief:
Wisconsin regulators are considering proposals for two new gas plants that have opened debate over whether the state’s review process can adequately protect the public interest amid the scramble to secure power for the data center boom.
Chicago-based independent power producer Invenergy is seeking permission to build the 1,186-MW Red Oak Ridge Energy Center and the 324-MW Foundry Ridge Energy Center, both in the southeastern part of the state, for a combined price tag of $2.26 billion. If approved, We Energies plans to acquire both plants outright to serve rising demand from hyperscale data centers, according to regulatory filings; these include a Microsoft campus and a Vantage project leased to OpenAI and Oracle.
The companies say the plants are part of a mix of intermittent and dispatchable resources needed to ensure reliability for all customers. Environmental advocates argue separate reviews for plant construction and utility ownership leave key questions about major energy investments unresolved until late in the process and could increase the risk of costly fossil fuel assets if projected demand does not materialize.
