As work continues on Microsoft’s data center campus in Mount Pleasant, similar developments nationally have sparked concerns about strain on the country’s electric grid.

But it’s unclear how much stress data centers will put on Wisconsin’s electric grid and what the impact of these projects will be on the state’s clean energy transition.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, data centers are “energy intensive” buildings, using 10 to 50 times the energy per floor space of a typical commercial office building. 

This year, the amount of electricity needed to power America’s data centers is expected to climb to nearly 21 gigawatts, up from 19 gigawatts in 2023, according to a new report from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. By the end of the decade, the country’s data centers are expected to require 35 gigawatts. For context, 1 gigawatt provides enough energy to power 100 million LED light bulbs.