Prime Highlights:
- Microsoft has secured local approval to construct 15 additional data centers in Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin, significantly expanding its data infrastructure footprint in the region.
- The expansion supports rising demand for generative AI services and is expected to generate long-term economic activity and sustained construction employment.
Key Facts:
- The approved data centers will span nearly 9 million square feet across two adjoining sites, include three power substations, and carry an estimated taxable value of over $13 billion.
- Village authorities and the planning commission have cleared the project, confirming water usage will stay within the annual allocation of 8.4 million gallons.
Background
Microsoft has received approval to build 15 additional data centers in Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin, close to an existing facility the company is already expanding. The village board unanimously cleared the site plans, marking a major step forward for the technology giant’s data infrastructure expansion in the region.
The new data centers will be developed on two adjoining lots located northwest of Microsoft’s current site. Together, the proposed facilities will cover nearly 9 million square feet and include three power substations, according to documents submitted to the village. The total taxable value of the development is estimated to exceed $13 billion.
Local officials said the project would bring long-term economic activity to the area. David DeGroot, president of the Mount Pleasant village board, said construction-related jobs linked to the project could last up to 10 years. He pushed back against claims that the jobs would be temporary, noting that a decade-long work period offers stability for skilled workers.
Microsoft’s expansion comes as major technology companies race to build data centers capable of supporting generative artificial intelligence. Microsoft, Amazon, Google and Oracle are investing heavily in facilities equipped with advanced chips to train and run AI models. For Microsoft, the added capacity will also support revenue already booked from OpenAI and other clients.
Finding good places for data centers has become harder because power is limited and more local communities are opposing them in some areas. While Microsoft dropped plans to build a data
center in the nearby village of Caledonia after resistance from residents, Mount Pleasant officials and homeowners have largely supported the expansion.
The site holds historical significance after Foxconn’s failed manufacturing project, announced in 2017 with promises of thousands of jobs that never fully materialised. Microsoft bought land from the village and from private owners in 2023 and 2024.
The village planning commission has also approved updated plans, confirming that water usage will remain within the 8.4 million gallons allocated annually. Microsoft can now move forward with final engineering plans and apply for building permits.