“The most important thing for people in Wisconsin to know is that we’re fully on track with construction on our data center in Mt. Pleasant, it’s still expected to go online in 2026, and our $3.3 billion commitment remains intact. We are committed to our projects to help prepare the workforce and Wisconsin manufacturers for the future.” – Microsoft Spokesperson, March 2025.

As Brad Smith, Vice Chair and President at Microsoft explained, what makes this datacenter distinctive isn’t just its scale or speed — it’s how thoughtfully it’s built, with both people and the planet in mind. From day one, sustainability has been central to its design.

More than 90 percent of the facility will rely on a state-of-the-art closed-loop liquid cooling system, filled during construction and recirculated continuously. The remaining portion of the facility will use outside air for cooling, switching to water only on the hottest days, minimizing environmental impact and maximizing operational efficiency. The result is a technological milestone — a datacenter with enough fiber cable to circle the Earth four times, yet its annual water use is modest, requiring roughly the amount of water a typical restaurant uses annually or what an 18-hole golf course consumes weekly in peak summer.

We appreciate that energy prices are increasing across the country and have worked hard to ensure our datacenter will not drive-up costs for our neighbors. That’s why we’re pre-paying for the energy and electrical infrastructure that we’ll use — ensuring prices remain stable and protecting consumers from future cost increases because of our datacenter.