Wisconsin Residents Face Eminent Domain Threat for AI Data Center

A $15 billion data center project could force some landowners to give up their property

Published on Feb. 22, 2026

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A planned $15 billion AI data center campus in Port Washington, Wisconsin has sparked backlash from local residents who fear they could lose parts of their land to eminent domain. The project, part of the Trump administration's Stargate partnership with OpenAI and Oracle, would require building massive new power lines, including potentially through the 52-acre property of renowned landscape painter Tom Uttech. Uttech and other residents are fighting the data center's expansion, concerned about the impact on their land, property values, and electricity bills.

Why it matters

The conflict in Wisconsin highlights the growing tension between the rapid expansion of data centers to power the AI revolution and the rights of private landowners. As demand for electricity to run these energy-intensive facilities surges, more communities are facing the threat of eminent domain and the potential disruption to local landscapes and livelihoods.

The details

The planned $15 billion data center campus in Port Washington would cover over 600 acres, requiring new high-voltage power lines. Tom Uttech, an 83-year-old landscape painter, may lose part of his 52-acre property that he has cultivated for decades. Local activists have organized protests against the project, concerned about eminent domain, higher electricity bills, and the environmental impact. The data center operators, including OpenAI and Oracle, have pledged to build renewable energy sources and cover any increased electricity costs for residents.

  • The data center project was announced in January 2026 as part of the Trump administration's Stargate initiative.
  • Construction on the data center campus is already underway in Port Washington.
  • The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin will review the proposed power line routes, including the one that could impact Uttech's property, in the coming months.

The players

Tom Uttech

An 83-year-old renowned landscape painter who has lived on his 52-acre property in Saukville, Wisconsin for nearly 40 years, using the land as inspiration for his work.

Mayor Ted Neitzke

The mayor of Port Washington, Wisconsin, who is enthusiastic about the economic benefits the data center project will bring to the community, despite facing backlash and threats from some residents.

Great Lakes Neighbors

A community group in Wisconsin that has organized protests against the data center project, concerned about eminent domain, higher electricity bills, and the environmental impact.

OpenAI

An artificial intelligence company that is part of the Trump administration's Stargate partnership and plans to build a data center campus in Port Washington.

Oracle

A technology company that is also part of the Stargate partnership and will be involved in the Port Washington data center project.

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What they’re saying

“I couldn't believe it, and I still don't. They'd be putting power lines that are 300 or something feet tall, taller than apparently the Statue of Liberty.”

— Tom Uttech (ABC News)

“It's exciting because it's going to transform our community, it's going to create a tax base and jobs and secondary and tertiary workforce and opportunities that we have not even envisioned, and it's going to lead us into a real renaissance.”

— Ted Neitzke, Mayor of Port Washington (ABC News)

“I did go to the council meeting purely intending to speak. I had a speech prepared. Again, I had spoken earlier in other council meetings. The message was if you speak out, then this is what will happen to you.”

— Christine LeJeune, Protester (ABC News)

What’s next

The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin will review the proposed power line routes, including the one that could impact Tom Uttech's property, in the coming months and select the final route for the project.

The takeaway

The conflict in Saukville, Wisconsin highlights the growing tension between the rapid expansion of data centers to power the AI revolution and the rights of private landowners. As demand for electricity to run these energy-intensive facilities surges, more communities are facing the threat of eminent domain and the potential disruption to local landscapes and livelihoods.