PORT WASHINGTON, Wis. — Neighbors of a $15 billion under-construction data center in Port Washington are raising concerns about plans to install dozens of diesel generators, arguing the permits should be denied over pollution and air quality risks.
Developer Vantage has applied for and received preliminary approval to install up to 45 diesel generators to provide backup and emergency power to the facility.
WATCH: Neighbors push back on diesel generators planned for Port Washington data center
Dozens of neighbors have taken their complaints to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, arguing the permits should be denied based on pollution and air quality risks.
Patti Plough, a Fredonia neighbor who has spent the last year leading one of several groups opposed to elements of the development, said staying organized is key. The Responsible Energy Alliance has advocated against power lines serving the development routing through their communities.
"People have a right to be skeptical because they've been misinformed before," Plough said.
Plough said it is important to stay focused and engaged with local advocacy groups. When asked how residents cut through the volume of issues surrounding the project, she said the community is navigating unfamiliar territory together.
"This is new for everyone. And so, we don't know what we don't know," Plough said. "We kind of work together. Even though we're working separately, we're working on different areas."
In a statement, Vantage said that, assuming a stable power grid, the generators will not be used all at once. Instead, the company said they will primarily be used one or a few at a time during monthly testing, well below the DNR's established limit of 50 hours per generator annually.
Many neighbors say they are growing tired of the constant meetings and documents that have accompanied the project. Gloria Maki, who visits the area often, said she has seen similar situations play out before.
"We've lived through this a number of times, in various places, in various things," Maki said. "They promise a lot, and like most, they don't deliver a lot."
The generator debate is the latest in a series of disputes surrounding the data center project, which has drawn complaints over 24-hour construction, water usage, and the planned routing of power lines to serve the development.
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